1871-CC

The 1871-CC is the second Carson City quarter, struck in a reported mintage of 10,890 pieces during the new mint's second full year of operation. The output figure is slightly higher than the 1870-CC but remains a tiny number against any comparable Philadelphia date, and the coin entered circulation in the same Nevada silver economy that absorbed most of the early CC production. Christian Gobrecht's seated obverse, the IN GOD WE TRUST motto added in 1866, and the heraldic eagle reverse all appear in their standard With Motto form, with the CC mintmark punched below the eagle on the reverse. The 6.22 gram planchet weight follows the Coinage Act of February 21, 1853 standard that governed quarters through the early 1873 transition.

Surviving examples are concentrated almost entirely in low circulated grades. The bulk of attributable 1871-CC quarters today grade Good through Fine, with Very Fine pieces noticeably scarcer and Extremely Fine examples uncommon. Mint State coins are extreme rarities; only a handful are known, and most carry significant auction provenance. Authentication discipline matters: altered Philadelphia 1871 quarters with added CC mintmarks have appeared in the marketplace, and the die-marker diagnostics on the genuine reverse, including the spacing of the CC letters and their position relative to the eagle's lower tail feathers, are the safest way to verify a piece. Buy only in PCGS or NGC holders, and treat any raw offering as a candidate for problems until expert opinion confirms otherwise.

The 1871-CC sits in the second tier of Carson City Seated quarter Key Dates, below the apex 1870-CC and 1873-CC No Arrows but above the 1872-CC for most collectors building the four-date CC set. Prices for problem-free circulated examples run into the mid four figures and climb sharply at Very Fine and above; Mint State pieces, when they appear, draw aggressive competition from CC specialists and Seated quarter date collectors. Approach this issue with patience and a willingness to wait for the right coin rather than buying the first acceptable example offered. For the broader story of Gobrecht's design, the 1873 Coinage Act, and the series' production arc, see the Seated Liberty Quarter series history.