1874-CC $10 Liberty Head Eagle NGC AU55

Here’s a rare piece in the popular Liberty Head Eagle series that would be an impressive addition to your collection. From a small mintage of 16,767 pieces, about 275 to 300 coins are estimated to survive in all grades today. 

The production of eagles at the Carson City Mint rose to 16,767 for 1874. For the decade, that is a respectable total, as the 1874-CC is the most abundant CC Eagle from the 1870s. However, this issue is elusive above the XF45 grade. NGC has graded only 22 as AU55 with seven finer. Collectors Universe give this issue a price of $40,000.00 in AU55.

James B. Longacre, who designed and engraved the popular Liberty Head Eagle and other gold coins. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Reports Rusty Goe, specialist in issues from the Carson City Mint, “For some reason, a stepped-up demand for $10 gold pieces caused the Carson Mint's coining department to deliver nearly as many examples in 1874 as it had in the three previous years combined with 7,725 in the first half of the year, and 9,042 in the second half.” It appears that the vast majority of them were put into circulation in the Old West, otherwise there would be more mint state examples of them. To date there are only two: one graded MS63 by PCGS and one that carries the grade of MS65 by NGC.