Q. David Bowers
Business Strikes:
Enabling legislation: As earlier, plus Act of February 28, 1878
Designer: George T. Morgan
Weight and composition: 412.5 grains; .900 silver, .100 copper
Melt-down (silver value) in year minted: $0.89222
Dies prepared: Obverse: 30; Reverse: 30.
Business strike mintage: 2,212,000
Estimated quantity melted: Estimated 1,000,000 or more, mostly under the provisions of the 1915 Pittman Act.
Approximate population MS-65 or better: 3,000 to 6,000 (URS-13)
Approximate population MS-64: 10,000 to 20,000 (URS-15)
Approximate population MS-63: 30,000 to 60,000 (URS-16)
Approximate population MS-60 to 62: 120,000 to 160,000 (URS-1S)
Approximate population G-4 to AU-58: 75,000 to 125,000 (URS-1S)
Availability of prooflike coins: Fairly common semiprooflike; DMPL coinsare scarce, cameo DMPL more so.
Characteristics of striking: Usually very well struck Known hoards of Mint State coins: 60,993 were held back from 1962-1964 Treasury release and subsequentIysold by the General Services Administration. An estimated 100,000 to 125,000 or more additional coins were released by the Treasury during the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s.
Proofs:
None
Commentary
1878-CC dollars w.ere released in quantity at the time of striking, unlike most later issues from this mint. Alleged Proofs advertised by B.M. Douglas and William & L. Pukall (Numismatist, 12/51 and 10/53) have not been traced and were probably DMPLs.