1877-CC Half Dollar Carson City Coin of the Week

1877-CC Half Dollar
Mintage:1,420,000 ( Redbook )
1,956,000 ( A Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties
Volume 2 Carson City Branch Mint by Bill Bugert )
Designer: Thomas Sully ( obv )
Christian Gobrecht ( rev. type 1 )
William Barber ( rev. type 2 )
Composition: .900 silver
.100 copper
Weight: 12.4g
Diameter: 30mm
Reeded edge

Though not matching the output of 1876 the Carson City Mint still delivered over $3 million in silver coins, although gold coin production dropped sharply. It was another record year on the Comstock as miners brought forth nearly $35 million in bullion. A precursor for things to come was the significant decline in the percentage of bullion being deposited at the Carson Mint as only 15.5% was sent there compared to 24% of the bullion being sent in 1876. As production began on the 1877-CC half dollar it appeared that 1876’s record number of halves struck would be toppled. The first ten months of the year the Carson Mint was on a pace to surpass the previous years total when the Secretary of the Treasury prepared the US mints for a slowdown.
The 1877-CC half dollar is one of the two most common dates in the half dollar series and they are a likely candidate for a type set. There were two mintmark sizes utilized at Carson City in 1877, the small and medium CC. Two reverse hubs were also used and are designated as Type 1 open lower bud with closed talons on claw and weak olive leaf stems. Type 2 hub is readily identified by the closed lower olive bud. Two of the obverse dies have the 77’s re punched in the date. The Type2 medium CC is the most common of the 1877-CC date. Many of the 1877-CC half dies were clashed, some even many times over. Most of the obverse and reverse dies are cracked in the later die states of production.
The 1877-CC sports 15 known die marriages 12 being obverse and 13 reverse. A superb book regarding die varieties is “ A Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties Volume 2 Carson City Branch Mint”by Bill Bugert.
At least two examples possess attributes of a branch mint proof, one of which was in a Stack’s auction in May of 1993 as part of a consecutive three lot set. The 1877-CC half that was presented exhibited the most reflective glass mirror fields imaginable. Stack’s would not have had a problem calling this coin a proof , however the only problem being was that “Breen’s listing of branch mint proofs” did not include a 1877-CC half. The cataloger appealed for at least a “presentation piece” status due to the care in preparation of the dies and the polished planchet. ( the coin was bought back by the consignor)
The finest know 1877-CC is from the famous Eliasberg collection and resides in an NGC MS-68 holder.

Survival in all grades:7000-10,000
Uncirculated: 450-750
XF to AU: 1000-1500
Total certified all grades ( PCGS & NGC 2003) 263 coins
Many problem free VF’s, XF’s and even AU’s are available for under $500. with some searching.

Thanks for “The Mint on Carson Street “ by Rusty Goe and “ A Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties Volume 2 Carson City Branch Mint” by Bill Bugert for the information they both provided.
I hope you all find this informative and have fun in your search for the 1877-CC halves. I know that I will be searching the shows for the types listed above.

Loosechange

Loosechange,

You did your homework, well. Found a lot of facts. Above is an image of 1877-CC 50c. This is the best I can do (MS-63)at this time.

John Armonas

Thanks for the picture John, I was going to put one one last night when I was posting the Coin of the Week and low and behold I must have timed out, because just as I hit submit the screen went back to the sign on and there was no post. I retyped the whole article in word and did it that way. I am well versed with the 1877-CC now ! Thanks be to cut and paste,LOL. Should now be called Loose-in-my mind!


thanks again
Loosechange

Loosechange,

Tip... Always draft and proof articles on your own computer first when posting anything lengthy on the web site. Once completed, copy and paste the article to the C4OA web site. Then, hit the preview button (below) to see how it will look to readers. If needed, you can then make minor changes on the article without worrying about loosing the whole thing since you have the original saved on your own computer.

The C4OA web site, like most others, may "time out" if left open too long with or without activity. Even without the problem of a time out feature, it is way too easy to accidentally hit a key that completely wipes out all prior on-line typing, logs off or shuts down your internet page altogether.

In summary, web sites can be delicate critters. Protect your time investment by drafting everything on your own computer first.

Thanks for an informative article Mark, and thanks to John A for his nice photo of an 1877-CC Half Dollar.

The below photo is of a circulated example from the Rians Bequeath Collection.


Regarding proof-like examples...even if someone had a photo of a proof-like example, I doubt the special features and surface luster would come through on a posted photo. It would be one of the aspects of coin analysis that can only be appreciated in person.

Belay Off

Thanks for the kind words Belay! Nice coin you have there also. I will get better at posting for sure. In fact my very first COW was a cut and paste. I don't know why I didn't do it that way again. After writing it twice from my notes I won't forget This super Carson City date at all!

Loosechange

Mark "Loosechange",

I'm glad to see you used your COTW experience to learn a lot about the 1877-CC half dollar. You did a good job putting all of your facts together. You have kept the COTW project tradition going strong.

In your stats you listed the following:

Mintage:1,420,000 ( Redbook )
1,956,000 ( A Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties
Volume 2 Carson City Branch Mint by Bill Bugert )

Unfortunately, typos can get the best of all authors. I'm sure Bill Bugert pulled his hair out when he saw the typesetter mistakenly switched mintage totals for the 1876-CC and 1877-CC sections. The Red Book lists the correct mintage totals for both dates: 1,956,000 for the 1876-CC, and 1,420,000.

Although typos can be corrected in revised editions of books, they haunt the author for a lifetime and then linger even after death, as they remain in the first editions forever.

You are not to blame in your COTW, however, because you were only publishing what you read in your trusty reference book.

You are really getting into the rhythm of this worthwhile COTW project. I hope you're having fun.

Rusty