1870-CC Liberty Seated Quarter. Briggs 1-A, the only known dies. VF-35 (PCGS).
Offered is a highly desirable mid grade example of this historic and exceedingly rare Carson City Mint silver issue. Fully untoned, both sides exhibit a pleasing light silver-gray appearance. High point wear is moderate, yet commensurate with the assigned grade, and plenty of bold to sharp detail remains in the recesses of the design elements. We also note traces of original mint luster that are best appreciated with the aid of direct lighting. Pleasingly smooth with no sizable or otherwise singularly mentionable marks, this coin will be just right for an advanced Carson City cabinet or specialized collection of Liberty Seated quarters. Just 8,340 quarters were struck in the inaugural year of the Carson City Mint, and the 1870-CC sits behind only the legendary 1873-CC No Arrows in terms of rarity within the Liberty Seated series. Virtually the entire issue was placed into circulation regionally, with most coins being worn down to grades of Fine and lower. Unfortunately, many of the survivors have been subject to environmental damage, cleaning and other mishandling, stressing the immense desirability of an attractive and wholesome example like the Choice VF coin offered here. Rated Rarity-6 in Fine and Very Fine grades in Larry Briggs' 1991 reference The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of United States Liberty Seated Quarters, Rusty Goe accounts for just 70 to 85 survivors in all grades in his new book The Confident Carson City Coin Collector (2020). This issue is unique in Mint State and represented at that level by the Eliasberg specimen, currently certified MS-64 by NGC.
PCGS# 5477. NGC ID: 23UL.