1873-CC No Arrows

The 1873-CC No Arrows is the rarest issue in the entire Seated Liberty Quarter series and stands among the apex rarities of US silver coinage. The Carson City Mint struck a reported 4,000 pieces in early 1873 on the older 6.22 gram planchet standard, before the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873 raised the legal weight and forced the Mint to add arrows beside the date. The overwhelming majority of the 4,000-piece production was melted or returned to the Mint in the wake of the Coinage Act, leaving only a tiny handful of survivors. Approximately five examples are confirmed by serious specialists, with auction appearances generating significant attention each time a piece moves between collections.

Authentication is non-negotiable: this is a coin that should only be purchased in a current PCGS or NGC holder with documented provenance traceable through major Seated Liberty quarter collections. Verify the absence of arrows on either side of the date, confirm the CC mintmark below the eagle, and check planchet weight against the 6.22 gram pre-Act standard rather than the 6.25 gram Arrows standard. Surviving examples grade across a narrow band; most known pieces fall in mid-circulated grades through About Uncirculated, with the finest known coins commanding the entire attention of the specialist market when they cross the auction block. Counterfeits and alterations exist but rarely fool current grading services equipped with the die diagnostics for the few authentic specimens.

The 1873-CC No Arrows is the cornerstone of any complete Seated Liberty Quarter date run and one of the most expensive single purchases in the series, with documented auction prices running into six and seven figures. Collectors who pursue the issue typically do so as the capstone of a long-term Seated quarter project, often after assembling every other date in the series. Provenance carries real weight in the marketplace; named-collection coins command premiums over fresh-to-market examples without documented pedigree. Approach this acquisition through major auction houses and established Seated specialists rather than the open dealer market. For the broader story of Gobrecht's design, the 1873 Coinage Act, and the series' production arc, see the Seated Liberty Quarter series history.