Offered is a remarkably smooth and well balanced mid-grade 1871-CC quarter. Both sides are boldly defined for all major design elements, the more protected areas of the design actually remain quite sharp. Sandy-silver patina is dominant on the reverse, while the obverse is somewhat differently toned in steel and dove gray. Early Carson City Mint coins are often encountered with noticeably impaired surfaces, but not here. For this impressive piece both sides are pleasingly smooth overall with uncommonly strong eye appeal for the grade.The 1871-CC is a leading rarity among Liberty Seated quarters, which is saying quite a lot for a series replete with elusive and underrated issues. The Carson City Mints second delivery for the denomination, the mintage amounted to a mere 10,890 coins. These saw immediate and extensive circulation, which claimed most and left a paltry surviving population that Rusty Goe estimates at just 35 to 50 examples in all grades. (Goes estimate provided through our August 2012 sale of the Battle Born Collection of Carson City Mint Coinage.) Regarding the grade distribution of the survivors, Q. David Bowers states:<em>"As is true of other Carson City silver, there was no numismatic interest in the 1871-CC quarters and the survival of high grade examples was a matter of rare chance. Today, a nice VF or EF 1871-CC quarter is about the top of the line in reality for an advanced collector."</em>These comments by two of the markets leading experts in Carson City Mint and Liberty Seated coinage establish the rarity of this handsome mid-grade example and its desirability for inclusion in a superior-quality cabinet.,,PCGS# 5479. NGC ID: 23UN.,PCGS Population: 3; 7 finer, only one of which is Mint State (MS-65).,
