What's Special About the Carson City Mint? (2024)

FAQs

What's Special About the Carson City Mint? ›

But one feature of the museum that's particularly fascinating is the Carson City Mint, which holds one of the most extraordinary coin presses in the world: Coin Press No. 1. As the original coin press of the Carson City Mint, Coin Press No. 1 was built in 1869 by Morgan & Orr in Philadelphia.

Since the Carson City Mint was open for only 19 years, its coins have high collectible value (and the Wild West allure helps, too). Carson City coins enjoy both high demand and limited supply, making them a sound choice for collectors.

Unique 1873-CC Without Arrows Dime

The rarest coin that survives from the Carson City Mint's 24-year-run is the 1873-CC Without Arrows dime, of which only one example is known. In the second decade of the 21st century, this ten-cent piece is valued at between three and four million dollars.

The Carson City Mint was established by Congress on March 3, 1863, to serve the coinage needs brought about by the Comstock Lode, the largest silver strike in the Nation's history. Prior to the development of this facility, silver and gold ore mined in the Nevada territory was shipped to San Francisco for processing.

It is now the home of the Nevada State Museum. Although the mint has not struck United States coins since 1893, Coin Press No. 1 (the original coin press from the mint) is still in the building and used to strike commemorative medallions with the "CC" mint mark.

Silver Dollars (U.S.)

Many coin collectors consider both Peace Dollars and Morgan Dollars lucky among U.S. currency, likely because both of them contain a large amount of silver compared to other circulated currency.

Carson City silver dollars are highly sought-after coins and can be identified by their distinct "CC" mint mark. This mark indicated that the coin was produced at the Carson City Mint in Nevada, which operated sporadically from 1870 to 1893.

Coin Press No. 1 ceased operations in 1893, and the Carson City Mint officially closed in 1899 as the result of a severe decline in mining on the Comstock Lode. When the Mint closed, the press was shipped back to Philadelphia and converted from steam-powered to electric.

The Carson City Mint opened in December of 1869 and produced its first coins on February 11, 1870, with coin production ending in 1893 due to reduced mining of the Comstock Lode.

The 1890-CC Morgan Dollar:

While more Carson City silver dollars were produced in 1890 than any other year, at a total of 2.3 million, the mere 3,950 coins of the 1890 Carson City silver dollars discovered make these coins relatively valuable and in high demand when encapsulated in GSA holders.

Where is the oldest mint in the world? ›

The world's oldest continuously running mint is the Monnaie de Paris in France, which was founded in AD 864 and is the world's eighth-oldest company. The UK's Royal Mint is the world's tenth-oldest company, established in AD 886.

La Casa de Moneda de México is the national mint of Mexico and is the oldest mint in the Americas.

The origin of the word "mint" is ascribed to the manufacture of silver coin at Rome in 269 BC at the temple of Juno Moneta. This goddess became the personification of money, and her name was applied both to money and to its place of manufacture.

Estimated Price Range: $750 - $2,800 Comments: A low mintage figure but a much higher survival rate compared to the 79 CC.

Take a walk through time at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City. Your first step brings you into the former Carson City Mint building where coins were minted from 1870 to 1893 – – 57 issues of silver, all bearing the distinguishing “CC” mint mark. On display is the formidable Coin Press No.

The U.S. Mint makes the nation's circulating coins, as well as bullion and numismatic (collector) coins. The Mint's four production facilities in Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point use a variety of machines and processes.

In 1885, auctioneer W.E. Woodward described the 1804 dollar as "the king of coins", a moniker which it maintains today. Numismatic historian Q.

Morgan Dollar or Peace Dollar

The Morgan Dollar was minted from 1878 to 1904, and again in 1921, and is the most collected U.S. coin of all time.

1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar: $13,311,850

But over two centuries later, this rare coin has achieved the status as the most expensive coin in the world. The Flowing Hair Silver Dollar was the first US silver dollar coin, minted from 1794 to 1795.

What if there is no mint mark on a silver dollar? ›

The short is yes; the presence or absence of a mint mark can and usually do affect the coin's value. However, there is no defined rule of thumb to this because each coin is different. In some cases, the mint mark may increase the value, but in others, a no-mint-mark error may increase the worth.

In conclusion, the Carson City Morgan Silver Dollar is an essential piece of American history and a valuable asset for collectors and investors alike. The coin's rarity, beauty, and unique history make it a must-have for any serious collector.

For decades, the 1881-CC and 1885-CC with the two lowest Carson City Morgan mintages of only 296,000 and 228,000, respectively, have been nearly as valuable in circulated condition as they are in MS63.

The one tonne gold coin

The biggest gold coin, as listed by the Guinness World Records, is a one tonne Australian Kangaroo. The colossal 99.99% pure gold coin has a diameter of 80 centimetres, and is a massive 12 centimetres thick.

The Fugio cent, also known as the Franklin cent, is the first official circulation coin of the United States.

The Oldest Coin in the World. Created over 2,700 years ago, but now located in the British Museum, is the Lydian Lion, the oldest coin in the world. It is a one-sided design featuring a roaring lion, the emblem of the Lydian Kings who created it around 610-600 BC.

The 1913-S Barber quarter. The lowest-mintage U.S. coin of the 20th century, not counting gold coins and varieties. Only 40,000 examples were produced.

According to the NGC Price Guide, as of May 2023, a Morgan Dollar from 1881 in circulated condition is worth between $225 and $505. However, on the open market 1881 CC Silver Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $32500.

On the reverse, surrounding the eagle and the wreath are the words “ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”. The most expensive silver dollar coin ever sold at an auction was a Special Strike Flowing Hair Silver Dollar for the astounding amount of $10,016,875.

First collected in 1948 by botanist Ray Garrett in Sebring, Garrett's Mint was not described in the science literature as a distinctive species until 1989 by a botanist and local Highlands County resident, Kris DeLaney and colleagues.

What is the best mint in the world? ›

#1 The Royal Canadian Mint

Plus it has bullion DNA technology making it the most verifiable and secure bullion coins and bars on the market. This mint also created the largest coin in the world. A 100kg 99.999% pure $1 million gold bullion coin. Visit Royal Canadian Mint.

Native Americans incorporated the use of Lemon Mint leaves for edible greens, seasoning, and as an aromatic tea.

The mint mark is the small letter that shows which Mint location made the coin. The two most common mint marks are the “P” for Philadelphia and “D” for Denver.

Today, the Mint's headquarters (a non-coin-producing facility) are in Washington D.C. It operates mint facilities in Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point, New York and a bullion depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

The Mint delivered the nation's first circulating coins on March 1, 1793: 11,178 copper cents. These new cents caused a bit of a public outcry. They were larger than a modern quarter, a bulky size for small change.

On April 2, 1792, Congress passed the Coinage Act, establishing the first national mint in the United States. Congress chose Philadelphia, what was then the nation's capital, as the site of our first Mint.

Since 1864, the private coining of money has been illegal, and since colonial days, we have had legal-tender laws designed to force the acceptance of coins and bills minted by the government.

Visiting the Mint is free!

Book ahead – Tour numbers are limited. We recommend you book here to avoid missing out, in case there are no spots available for walk-ins. Arrive early – Please be at the meeting point 10 minutes before your tour time.

What are the hours for the Carson City Mint? ›

The museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Lincoln replaced the image of Lady Liberty, which was on the penny from its start in 1793 after the Coins Act of 1792 established the Mint. The Mint has since announced it would stop penny production in 2023.

No mint marks appeared on circulating coins from 1965 to 1967. The Coinage Act of 1965 eliminated mint marks to discourage collecting while the Mint worked to meet the country's coinage needs. Mint marks were placed on the reverse of coins until 1968 when they moved to the obverse.

According to the NGC Price Guide, as of May 2023, a Morgan Dollar from 1878 in circulated condition is worth between $120 and $385. However, on the open market 1878 CC Silver Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $40000.

"Certified coins with CAC stickers have commanded bonus premiums because of the generally accepted perception that they are superior to 'unstickered' coins in the same grade – and coins with gold stickers have been selling for significantly more, often several times as much as coins of the same type, date, and grade ...

They contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper, which makes them easy to buy and sell at lower prices. Though Morgan dollars are often close to the spot price of silver, rarely minted, high-grade coins can sell for thousands of dollars.

From 1878 to 1885 and from 1889 to 1893, the Carson City Mint produced Morgan Silver Dollars.”

Depending on the condition and scarcity of the coin in question, you can pay anywhere from as little as $10 to as much as $100 and more for a Morgan Silver Dollar. As expected, those coins that have been well-preserved over the years are the ones that will sell for the highest prices.

How many Morgan dollars are left? ›

The 1895 “King of Morgan's.” That year, only 12,880 coins were minted. Only 880 of these coins survived after so many were melted, and experts believe only about 500 still remain in existence today.

Only the Morgan Dollar was minted in larger quantities, about 650 million circulated for more than 27 years. In comparison, 190 million Peace Dollars were circulated over nine years. For that reason, the Morgan Dollar is the more “collected” of the two types.

1880 CC Morgan

Number Survived: ~ 18,000 including all varieties. Estimated Price Range: $750 - $2,800 Comments: A low mintage figure but a much higher survival rate compared to the 79 CC. There are many different varieties of 1880 CCs.

Reverse inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “ONE DOLLAR.” The reverse also features a “CC” privy mark, in recognition of the historic Mint facility located in Carson City, NV, where some of the original Morgan Dollars were minted.

Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), Independent Coin Graders (ICG), and ANACS are the most popular and well-known services, although PCGS and NGC are considered to be the most reputable. Together they have certified over 80 million coins.

Generally toned coins receive higher grades than those that are bright white as toning may hide minor imperfections visible on a bright white coin. In general, coins with light, natural toning tend to be more valuable than those with dark/unattractive or artificial toning.

Are graded coins worth more? Not in all cases. The value of a graded coin depends heavily on the current worth of a coin. Some collectors may choose to pay more than the actual metal value or face value of a coin because it is extremely rare or in extremely good condition.