1872-CC Liberty Head Double Eagle. AU-53 (NGC). Pale khaki-gold patina with considerable luster framing the devices on both sides. Free from any distracting blemishes, this boldly to sharply defined AU example makes a lovely impression in all regards. The 1872-CC is the third double eagle issue from this fabled Frontier era branch mint, the mintage a modest 26,900 pieces with a face value of $5,380,000. In the first three years of coinage operations at the Carson City Mint -- 1870, 1871, and 1872 -- it seems that the gold coins were used regionally and, indeed, we suspect that the 1872-CC double eagle as an issue helped form the backbone of the economy in and around Carson City. Beginning in 1873, however, quantities of gold coins were more widely distributed, including in shipments sent to foreign banks. Today, the first three CC-mint gold issues across all three denominations -- $5, $10, and $20 -- are all true classics. Grades for surviving 1872-CC double eagles are often VF to EF, confirming the conditionally challenging nature of an issue that is also scarce in an absolute sense. Indeed, a solidly graded and aesthetically pleasing AU example such as this represents a significant find in todays market.
