1882-CC $10 Liberty Head Eagle PCGS AU53 - Ex. D.L. Hansen

Here's a rarity, as well as the rarest eagle of its year (1882). Below are the mintages of Carson City eagles around 1882:

1880-CC    11,190

1881-CC    24,015

1882-CC      6,764

1883-CC    12,000

This is a rare coin. Most of this issue saw heavy circulation in the rough-and-ready West of its day. People who lived in the West were suspect of paper money and therefore gold pieces, including the $10 Liberty head eagles, saw much circulation. PCGS has graded 16 in AU53, with 57 finer.

Doug Winter writes, "The 1882-CC is the only post-1880 Carson City mint that can be termed as scarce in any grade. An estimated 130-140 survive from the original mintage figure of 6,764. It has a relatively high survival percentage since it is a later date and, possibly, because a small hoard existed at one time."

The Carson City Mint, where this great piece was struck in 1882.