Q. David Bowers
Population estimates: Estimating the population of surviving 1870-CC dollars has attracted the interest of several students of the series. Writing in The Gobrecht Journal; March 1983, Weimar W. White stated that he believed one to two MS-65 coins were known, 10 to 30 MS-60 to 63 coins existed, and that the total population, including worn pieces, is in the range of 75 to 275. However, in later correspondence with the author, Weimar W. White tightened his estimate to 200 to 265 known in all grades.
John Kroon, in a letter to the author (April 30, 1992), suggested that 250 to 375 exist in all grades combined, a revision downward from his estimate of 500 to 750 expressed in a July 1984 article in The Gobrecht Journal: "Carson City Seated Dollars-How Many Survive?" Dale R. Phelan, who has studied coins since his interest began in 1953, wrote to suggest that at least 1,000 1870-CC dollars exist in all grades. (Letter to the author, April 28, 1992.) My own feeling is that somewhat over 500 exist. On no other variety of Liberty Seated dollar have I encountered such a diversity of opinions regarding population estimates covering all grades. On no other variety of Liberty Seated dollar have I encountered such a diversity of opinions regarding population estimates covering all grades.
Varieties
Business strikes (commentary):
Eight varieties are known and are described in detail below; these consist of two obverse dies combined with five reverse dies. As a class, these are known as Breen-5485 (CC mintmark closely spaced) and Breen-5486 (CC mintmark widely spaced).
Several coins seen (die varieties not reported) have had the reverse misaligned 12 degrees (two coins) or 25 degrees left of the normal position. (Lawrence N. Rogak, "Rotated Reverses on Liberty Seated Dollars." Article in The Gobrecht Joumal, July 1990.)
General notes concerning reverses: 1870-CC exists with closely spaced mintmark, which is rare, and widely spaced mintmark, as usually seen. Four reverse dies were made with the widely spaced characteristic; one was also used to make 1871-CC dollars, another to strike 1872-CC, and another for 1873- CC. See below:
Business strikes (die variety analysis): (Die descriptions courtesy of John Kroon with additional comments by Walter H. Breen (from photographic enlargements furnished by Weimar W. White). I use the traditional form of assigning numbers to the obverses and letters to the reverses.)
Obverse 1: Date left. Heavy numerals. The left upright of the digit 1 lines up with the tip of the shield. The base of the 7 is positioned directly over a denticle.
Obverse 2: Date right. Lighter numerals. The left upright of the digit 1 lines up to the right of the tip of the shield. The base of the 7 is positioned over a space between two denticles. Head and drapery near pole are weak. Denticles below date smaller, farther apart than in other areas. On later impressions (with Reverse A), die was repolished; numerals thin, upper denticles (above head and 8th and 9th stars) smaller, narrower, spaced farther apart.
Reverse A: Closely spaced CC. The notch of the serif of the left C is directly in line with an imaginary line extending upward from the right top of the letter E in ONE. The serif of the left C is to the right of this imaginary line. This die is found only on 1870-CC dollars and not on dollars of any other years.
Reverse B: Widest spaced CC. The left C is totally to the left of an imaginary line extending upward from the right top of the letter E in ONE. The upright of the left C is not parallel to this imaginary line; rather, it tips away from it. This die is found on some 1870-CC dollars and all known 1871-CC dollars.
Reverse C: Widely spaced CC. The two C's are parallel to each other. The left C is totally to the left of an imaginary line extending upward from the right top of the letter E in ONE. Also, a die line is visible on the denticle that is located just left of the upright of the letter L. Scroll end below ST of TRUST is stronger than on other dies. This die is found on dollars of 1870-CC and on all known 1872-CC dollars.
Reverse D: Widely spaced CC, closer to feather tip and stem than on other dies. The serif of the left C is bisected by an imaginary line extending upward from the right top of the letter E in ONE. The upright of the right C tilts away from the left C. Serif of left C barely left of feather tip, right C to right of junction of feather and stem. This die is found on dollars of 1870-CC and all known 1873-CC dollars.
Reverse E: Widely spaced CC, almost parallel, both leaning slightly to right. The rightmost aspect of the left C is just barely tangent to an imaginary line extending upward from the right top of the letter E in ONE. Right C directly below junction of feather and stem, unlike Reverse D, which this die resembles. This die is found only on dollars of 1870-CC. Announcement of the discovery of this die was made by Joseph T. Jaffe in The Gobrecht Journal, November 1984.
Die marriages:
1. 1-A. Date left. Closely spaced CC. Used only on 1870-CC dollars.
2. 1-C. Date left. Widely spaced CC. Used on some 1870-CC dollars and all 1872-CC dollars.
3. 1-D. Date left. Widely spaced CC. Used on some 1870-CC dollars and all 1873-CC dollars.
4. 2-A. Date right. Closely spaced CC. Used only on 1870-CC dollars.
5. 2-B. Date right. Widely spaced CC. Used on some 1870-CC dollars and all 1871-CC dollars.
6. 2-C. Date right. Widely spaced CC. Used on some 1870-CC dollars and all 1872-CC dollars.
7. 2-D. Date right. Widely spaced CC. Used on some 1870-CC dollars and all 1873-CC dollars.
8. 2-E. Date right. Widely spaced CC. Used only on 1870-CC dollars.
Although more research remains to be done concerning the rarity of various die combinations (and the time sequence of use), John Kroon estimates that as a class (without respect to obverse varieties) coins with Reverse A are the rarest and comprise about 5% of the population of extant 1870-CC dollars; Reverse B coins comprise about 20%; Reverse C 25%; Reverse D 35%; and Reverse E 15%.