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 coins are 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.
Local Commentary
The Carson City Morning Appeal April 17, 1878, printed this article: "Dies at Last: Yesterday morning the new dies for the U.S.
Mint arrived from Philadelphia. There were ten obverse, ten reverse, and six collars. The dies were hardened yesterday and the big Ajax press will start up today. There are 632,325 blanks ready for the press and when they get to work will tum out the dollars at the rate of 30,000 per day. We have had OUT litde say about the dollars coined in Philadelphia, and how the Coiner here is driven to follow in his footsteps, or rather the press whacks, of the concern on the Delaware.
"Great disgust was expressed at the general appearance ofthe dies [design was the word probably intended]. All that has been said as to the wretched workmanship of the Philadelphia dollar, will be equally true of the Carson dollar, arid it can't be helped. The die represents the same wide, flat, pelican-bat of the wilderness, and will show up all the defects of the coin. The C.C. in the die is very indistinct, and looks as if it would tum out two periods. We wish it may, and that the inartistic appearance of the coin will lead the government to employ a new designer and give us a new die, dollar and deal. The United States ought to be ashamed to issue such a piece of workmanship, and at least should allow a small discount on the face of the thing."
The same edition noted under the heading "Pencil Scratchings" the following:
"A few new dollars were struck off yesterday as samples."