1876-CC Liberty Head Half Eagle. Winter 1-A, the only known dies. AU-58 (PCGS). Lovely and original honey-rose surfaces are carefully preserved and display nearly full satin luster. Both sides are impressively smooth and undisturbed by even a single noteworthy blemish. Softness of strike at the central high points is common for Carson City Mint fives from this era, although in the absence of significant wear the balance of this coin offers sharp to full definition.<p>Just 6,887 half eagles were produced at the Carson City Mint in 1876, the lowest output for the denomination at this frontier coinage facility. Widespread use in local commerce claimed most examples, and survivors are scarce to rare in all grades. Estimates for the number of coins extant have varied somewhat in recent decades, with Doug Winter providing a figure of 80 to 90 coins in all grades in the 2001 edition of <em>Gold Coins of the Carson City Mint</em>. Taking a slightly more liberal approach, and based on more modern census data, Rusty Goe provides an estimate of 120 to 140 coins in Volume 2 of his outstanding 2020 reference <em>The Confident Carson City Collector</em>. Both estimates confirm that the 1876-CC is a prime rarity at all levels of preservation and is challenging to locate even in circulated grades. With the vast majority of survivors well worn and in the VF range, even solidly graded, aesthetically pleasing EFs are elusive.<p>Both Winter and Goe assert that only two Mint State 1876-CC half eagles are positively confirmed to exist. Ranking just behind those specimens in the Condition Census are a small number of AU-58s, including this newcomer to the market from the Fairmont-Hendricks. It will be just right for a top flight collection of Liberty Head or Carson City Mint gold. From the Fairmont Collection-Hendricks Set.
