1880-CC $5 Liberty Head Half Eagle NGC AU-53

Gorgeous original "wild-west" surfaces enhance the visual appeal of this classic $5 Liberty Head Half Eagle. Coinage at the Carson City Mint halted from October 1879 through year's end. As 1880 dawned, rumors swirled of indefinite closure or permanent shutdown. On March 22, 1880 the Reno Evening Gazette noted operations at one-third capacity, limited to assaying and melting, with scant silver and gold deposits.To local astonishment, newspapers announced in late April that Secretary Sherman had ordered resumption in early May. On May 8—a Saturday after seven months' dormancy—Coiner Dague struck 4,195 half eagles dated 1880. He added 5,314 more by month's end and 9,688 in June, totaling 19,197 pieces—surpassing 1879's entire output. The second half yielded 31,820 additional $5 gold coins, bringing the annual mintage to 51,017, nearly matching the prior five years' combined total.Philadelphia and San Francisco dwarfed these figures amid surging gold imports. Mint Director Burchard credited the influx to diversified denominations below $20, limiting double eagles. Carson's modest allocation sufficed for resumption but marked the first year since 1870 without double eagles struck there.Rusty Goe estimates 525–600 of these half eagles survive, with 20–30 Uncirculated. Circulated examples roughly double that, while Mint State pieces number only a handful. VF is typical, EF readily available, but mid level to high-grade AU coins—as offered here—are rare.

Product ID	556469
Year	1880
Mint Mark	CC
Strike	MS
Grade	AU-53
Variety	-
Precious Metal Weight	0.24187 ozt Gold
Grading Agency	NGC
Specification properties	No
Serial	6063876-010
Status	Active
Designation	-
Additional Info	-