Q. David Bowers
Carson City Coinage Suspended
The Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, 1879, told why silver dollar coinage was suspended at Carson City:
"Notwithstanding the fact that the Mint at Carson City is located but a short distance from the productive mines of the Comstock Lode, higher prices were demanded for bullion deliverable at Carson than at San Francisco, and, in addition, the rates charged by the express company for transportation of silver dollars were higher at Carson than for San Francisco.:"
It was decided to suspend silver dollar coinage at the Carson City Mint, and instructions were given on February 26,1879, to the superintendent to use up the bullion on hand and then to terminate production.
The same report told of activities at Carson City during the preceding fiscal year (July 1,1878 through June 30,1879):
"Mint at Carson. This mint accomplished but little coinage during the year, and for several months was comparatively idle. The receipts of gold have at no time been great and almost entirely of the production of the state of Nevada. The records show that of all gold deposited at this mint during the last seven years, less than $100,000 was produced by other states and territories.
"Although situated in close proximity to a large silver-producing section of country, owners of silver bullion have been demanding a higher price for delivery at Carson than silver could be procured for at Philadelphia or San Francisco .... "
Inventing History
It has been popular for certain numismatists to ascribe the low mintage of Carson City dollars to "inefficiency," poor assaying and refining procedures, and sloppy minting practices, none of which is historically correct.
While the Carson City Mint had a smaller volume of business and, consequently, a higher cost per coin than certain other mints; it was 'not inefficient. The San Francisco papers and certain California interests attempted on various occasions to discredit the Carson City Mint, but none of thescallegations had sufficient validity to merit any changes. The quality of coinage at the Carson City Mint was the highest of all four mints producing silver dollars at the time. With some exceptions (Such as numerous 1880-CC and 1893-CC), 'most Carson City dollars surviving today are extremely well struck and finely detailed. This Was due, to vety precise die positioning, a practice which caused the dies to wear faster than if they had been farther apart (but this practice of quality coinage can hardly be called inefficient).