1872-CC Liberty Seated Silver Dollar. OC-1. Rarity-3+. MS-62 (PCGS). As one of the few Uncirculated survivors of this elusive Carson City Mint issue, this handsome coin stands tall among the extensive Liberty Seated dollar offerings in this sale. Predominantly light silver gray in appearance, both sides also reveal blushes of pale peach and vanilla patina across the surfaces. The strike is well executed with bold to sharp detail over most design elements and just a trace of friction visible on the reverse. The in hand appearance is attractive and uncommonly smooth for the assigned grade. The Carson City Mint produced only 3,150 silver dollars in 1872. Repeating a standard scenario for early gold and silver issues from this coinage facility, the 1872-CC dollars were routinely released into local and regional commerce. Probably some were shipped to China, where there was a great appetite for silver metal. In his cataloging for our August 2012 sale of the Battle Born Collection, Carson City Mint expert Rusty Goe estimates that 250 to 300 exist today in all grades, with only 16 to 19 in Mint State. More recent estimates by Dick Osburn and Brian Cushing (2018) suggest just 250 surviving pieces in total, fewer than 30 of which are in Mint State. They acknowledge a small hoard of about 100 examples having been distributed in 2015 through 2017, though this piece remains one of the very finest few. PCGS has certified just 3 example finer.
