1885-CC $20 (1885 Double Eagle) NGC VF35. This branch mint, circulated 1885-CC Double Eagle, from Dr. Anderson’s Nevada Collection, meets all the criteria for a VF coin. All the rounded prongs on Liberty’s coronet show, LIBERTY is readable, there is some detail on the hair above and to the right of Liberty’s ear. Although the coins of this date and mint are always weakly struck, this specimen has detail on about half of the obverse stars and strong detail on the eagle and most of the reverse design. Hair details are less distinct on all issues from 1859 to the 1890’s. As usual, the reverse rim is beveled.

When first discovered, gold and silver found in Nevada had to be shipped over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the branch mint in San Francisco. This trip was dangerous and expensive. The Nevada mine owners asked Congress to establish a branch of the mint in their state, and legislation was enacted in 1863. Carson City was chosen as the location for the mint facility because it was near some of the major mining sites.

Authorized in 1863, the Carson City Mint began coinage in 1870 and continued until 1893. It was then operated as a government assay office until 1933 when it was closed as a cost cutting measure. During its operation the Mint made fifty-seven different types of gold coins. It also converted gold bullion and oar into gold bars which were shipped to San Francisco for coinage there. Coins issued from the Carson City Mint used the CC mint mark. Originally established to convert silver from the Comstock Lode to coinage, the Carson City Mint also processed gold in to gold coins.
The 1885-CC double eagle is one of the rarest Carson City double eagles struck in the 1880’s. Many of them were shipped overseas.