Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States - A Complete Encyclopedia
Q. David Bowers
LARGE CC OVER SMALL CC:
Circulated grades. Large CC over Small CC:
Scarce, more so than the Perfect CC variety. An estimated 1,500 to 3,000 remain.
Mint State grades. Large CC over Small CC: I estimate that 1,750 to 2,500 exist at the MS-60 to 62 level, followed by 800 to 1,200 MS-63, 300 to 500 MS-64, and only 20 to 40 MS-65 or better. In the last named grade it is a rarity.
Although the Large CC over Small CC is about three times or so rarer than the Perfect CC variety in lower Mint State grades and over five times rarer in MS-65 grade, the market price for MS-65 coins does not at all reflect this, due to "bad press" for the variety. Lower grade Mint State coins are usually heavily bagmarked. The strike on this variety is usually average or below average, not needle-sharp.
Prooflike coins. Large CC over Small CC:
Prooflike coins exist and are expensive, due to the overall value of Mint State coins. Contrast is not good. Most are in lower grades. Much scarcer than the Perfect CC variety in PL. Probably, only 400 to 800 PL coins survive, virtually all of which are below MS-65. DMPL coins are exceedingly rare in all grades, and probably only 100 to 200 exist. As of September 1992, neither NGC nor PCGS had certified even one.
PERFECT CC:
Circulated grades. Perfect CC: Scarce. About 3,500 to 5,000 are believed to survive.
Mint State grades. Perfect CC: This variety is about three times more plentiful than the previous. Population estimates follow: MS-60 to 62, 3,250 to 4,500; MS-63, 1,600 to 2,400; MS-64, 900 to 1,300; andMS-65 or better, 125 to 150.
Lower grade Mint State coins are usually extensively bagmarked. MS-64 coins are elusive, and nice MS-65 coins are rare and ate seldom offered. 'The strike is average. Depending upon the coin, the strike ranges from average to quite good. Cherrypicking for quality is advised!
Proof like coins. Perfect CC: Prooflike coins come on the market occasionally. Probably about 1,500 to 2,500 remain. Generally, the contrast is poor and the coins are in lower Mint State grade levels. DMPL coins are rarer in all grades, and only about 500 to 1,000 exist. As of September 1992, neither NGC nor PCGS had certified a specimen at the DMPL-65 or better level.
Varieties
Business strikes:
1. Large CC over Small CC: VAM-3. Also called "Broken CC" and "Capped CC." SmallCC, size of mintmark used in 1878, partially effaced in die and overpunched with large CC. Always with die rust at CC. About twice as rare as the following.
2. Perfect CC: VAM-l, 2,4. Large CC mintmark.
Proofs:
1. Proof issue: The coin catalogued as "Proof; from the Brock (later, University of Pennsylvania) and Roven, sky (Mehl, November 30, 1954) collections has not been seen for verification.
1879-CC Morgan: Market Values
