1871-CC

Cataloged at CK-6503 with a mintage of 14,687, this issue is the second double eagle struck at the Carson City Mint, following the legendary 1870-CC delivery of 3,789 pieces. The four-fold jump in production reflects the new branch's first full operating year rather than any sustained surge in regional gold-coin demand, and the result is still an extraordinarily small original output by Liberty Head $20 standards. Most surviving examples entered active commerce in the silver-camp economies of Nevada and the Comstock, where heavy circulation, frequent shipment in canvas bags, and routine vault counting left their mark. The coin's place in the Carson City hierarchy is fixed: behind only the 1870-CC, and ahead of the next tier that includes the 1879-CC, 1885-CC, and 1891-CC.

Survival is poor relative even to the modest mintage. Rusty Goe estimates roughly 265 to 315 examples extant, with the population dominated by VF and XF coins; AU pieces are scarce, and Mint State certifications can be counted on one hand. The Battle Born Collection NGC MS-64, sold by Stack's Bowers in 2012, is the universally acknowledged finest known and exceeds the next certified specimen by a wide margin. Strike on the issue is typically soft on the radial elements, particularly Liberty's hair behind the ear and the eagle's neck feathers, with weak wire rims and granular fields traceable to worn dies and the Carson City Mint's still-developing press operations during its first two years. Original surfaces show muted orange-gold luster broken by abrasions consistent with bag handling.

Auction performance reflects the issue's standing. In the April 2022 Hendricks Set sale at Stack's Bowers, an AU-55 PCGS example with CAC approval realized $132,000, more than doubling the prior grade record; a Spring 2024 AU-53 PCGS/CAC from the same firm followed at $81,000. Counterfeit risk warrants attention. Because Philadelphia 1871 double eagles trade for a fraction of the CC price, added-mintmark deceptions appear with some regularity in the marketplace, and any unattributed example merits service certification before money changes hands. For collectors building a date set, the 1871-CC sits among the toughest stops on the run and stands as a defining test piece, set within the broader Liberty Head Double Eagle series history.