1879-CC Morgan Silver Dollar. Clear CC. MS-65 (PCGS). Here is an exceptionally smooth and attractive example of this conditionally challenging, semi-key date Carson City Mint Morgan dollar issue. Bright and brilliant surfaces are intensely lustrous with a predominantly frosty texture. The obverse is also modestly semi-prooflike in the field and highly appealing. Sharply to fully struck and a delight to behold.<p>After a promising start with 2,212,000 Carson City Morgan dollars struck in 1878, only 756,000 pieces were produced in 1879, and mintages would continue to fall through 1881. Despite its proximity to Nevadas rich silver mines, the Carson City Mint was forced to play second fiddle as much of the bullion mined was sent to the San Francisco Mint for coinage. There was so little bullion on hand at the Carson City facility throughout 1879, in fact, that the presses were still for much of the year. In our August 2012 sale of the Battle Born Collection, Carson City Mint expert Rusty Goe reported that Superintendent Crawford received orders from his superiors in Washington, D.C. to cease coinage operations in April and lay off workers. The presses in Carson City remained idle until August, after which only 210,000 additional silver dollars were struck before the end of 1879; these added to the 546,000 coins struck prior to the Mints cessation of operations in April constituted the mintage for the year.<p>With a far smaller quantity released through the GSA sales of the 1970s, the 1879-CC is rarer than the lower mintage 1880-CC, 1881-CC and 1885-CC in Mint State. It is the scarcest Carson City Mint Morgan dollar of the 1878 to 1885 era. Particularly desirable as a Gem example, the Miller Collection specimen is among the finer certified survivors. We anticipate intense competition for this coin from Morgan dollar collectors participating in the PCGS Set Registry program.<p> From the Larry H. Miller Collection. From the Larry H. Miller Collection.
