LIBERTY
HEAD (WITH MOTTO ON REVERSE) TWENTY DOLLARS OR DOUBLE EAGLE
(1849-1866)
1871-CC With Motto Double
Eagle
1871-CC
With Motto Double Eagle
PCGS
No:
8961
Mintage
Circulation strikes:
17,387
Proofs:
None
Designer:
James Barton
Longacre
Diameter:
±34
millimeters
Metal
content:
Gold - 90%
Other - 10%
Weight:
±516
grains (±33.4 grams)
Edge:
Reeded
Mintmark:
"CC"
(for Carson City, Nevada) below the eagle's tail
on the reverse.
Introduction:
By a large margin, the 1871-CC double eagle is the
second-rarest Carson City issue. The mintage is small,
and most of the production was destined for circulation
in Nevada and the surrounding areas. Circulation is
the key word, as most of the coins found of this issue
are well worn and heavily bagmarked. There are also
a number of heavily cleaned examples known for the
date. The 1871-CC double eagle is scarce in Extremely
Fine and About Uncirculated condition. High-end About
Uncirculated coins are very rare, and just a few pieces
are known in Mint State. One incredible coin for this
scarce issue stands out. It first appeared in the
David Akers session of Auction '88, where it realized
546,200. The coin is now graded by NGC as MS-64, and
last appeared at auction in 2005. The coin sold for
an amazing $230,000. This illustrates the tremendous
increase of interest in double eagles in the last
decade. Key to Collecting: The 1871-CC is
a well-known rarity in the series. These pieces circulated
extensively, and most show extensive wear and, often,
damage. However, a few Mint State coins seemed to
escape such conditions, and today they are sometimes
seen, but in lower numerical levels. Aspects of Striking: Usually light
on the highest areas of the obverse, but sharper than
1870-CC. Die Data: Standard four-digit logotype
punch for this year.
Number of Appearances:
61 (14%)
High Grade Condition Points: 3
Auction Records:
(3) AU: Stack's
6/79; New England 5/78; Stack's 11/12/74
(17) EF: Stack's 9/81; New England
1/80; Paramount 4/79; Kagin's 9/78; AAA 6/76(2);
ANA 1974; Stack's 6/74, 3/69; Miles 1968; Stack's
11/67, 6/67, 10/66; Wolfson 1962; Atwater 1946;
Bell 1944; Roach 1944
(36) VF: Kreisberg 9/80; Hughes
10/79; Auction '79; Stack's 2/79; Ivy 4/78; Stack's
6/77, 2/77; Paramount 2/77; ANA 1976; ANA 1975;
Pine Tree 6/75; RARCOA 4/75; Superior 10/74; ANA
1974; Pine Tree 9/73; Gilhousen 1973; Stack's 4/71;
Alto 1970; Kreisberg/Cohen 11/70, 6/69; ANA 1968;
Shuford 1968; Stack's 5/68, 4/67; Kreisberg 4/67;
ANA 1966; Kosoff 10/65; Ward 1964; Bell 1963; FUN
1963; Golden 1962; ANA 1956; Farouk 1954; MC 1948;
Lee 1947; WGC 1946
(5) Fine: Stack's 4/77; ANA 1975;
FUN 1963; Melish 1956; Menjou 1950
Comments: After the famous 1870-CC, the 1871-CC is
the rarest Double Eagle from the Carson City Mint.
Compared to all other twenties, the 1871-CC ranks
in the top 15% of the series in overall rarity and
it is tied for first place in rarity according to
average grade. Few dates in the series come generally
worse than the 1871-CC. The 1871-CC is like the 1870-CC
in that respect and about all one can expect to find
is a heavily abraded F or VF. A strictly graded EF
is very rare and I have never personally seen one
that I would call AU. Max Humbert tells me that in
the 1960's when he was regularly receiving rare gold
coins from Europe via Paul Wittlin. he handled a borderline
Unc. 1871-CC. That coin is by far the finest I have
heard of and it may well be the finest known.
See 1871-CC
With
Motto Double Eagle
for sale.Click
here!
Courtesy
Akers: United States Gold Coins - An Analysis of Auction
Records
Courtesy Bowers: A Guide Book of Double Eagle Gold
Coins
