1871-CC Liberty Head Double Eagle. AU-53 (NGC). CMQ.The 1871-CC is an elusive double eagle that is the rarest from the Carson City Mint after only the legendary 1870-CC. Highly desirable in AU-53 as certified by NGC, this coin sports vivid color in light pinkish-honey. Direct lighting reveals even brighter golden color, as well as pale rose highlights in isolated peripheral areas and, even more significantly, considerable mint luster in a satin to semi-reflective finish. Minor softness engages some of the obverse stars, which lack their radial lines, but otherwise we note universally sharp detail from a strike that is well executed by early CC-Mint standards. A flashy piece that would serve as a highlight in any double eagle set.<p>The 1871-CC double eagle is one of the principle rarities of the denomination struck at Carson City, second only to the vaunted 1870-CC. The 174,387 coins produced at the Nevada facility that year were destined for immediate use in commerce, where gold was the vastly preferred medium of exchange. Thanks to its somewhat remote location in regard to other population centers at the time, the coins were heavily used in local circulation for many years. There were essentially no numismatists in the region, hence nobody had the interest or wherewithal to set aside an example at the time. Very few escaped the trials and tribulations of extensive circulation, and when available at all, the 1871-CC is usually found damaged and heavily abraded. The present example represents a significant find for the advanced numismatist seeking one of the early historic double eagles from this perennially popular Western mint. It is among the finer certified of only 100 to 135 coins believed extant in EF and AU grades (per Rusty Goe, 2020).PCGS# 8961. NGC ID: 26AB.
