1875-CC 20C XF40 Certification #18614399, PCGS #5297

CoinFacts Details

Expert Comments

Charles Morgan

The 1875-CC Twenty-Cent Piece

Production of the twenty-cent denomination commenced with a striking ceremony at the Carson City Mint on June 1, 1875. In attendance was Nevada Senator John Percival Jones, the primary advocate for the legislation that added the “double dime” to an already crowded roster of subsidiary coins. Jones believed the denomination would better serve the Western states, where minor coins like the cent and nickel—not yet produced at branch mints—were in short supply.

During the coin's inaugural month in Carson City, outgoing coiner W. Hy Doane struck 3,290 pieces; his successor, Levi Dague, struck the remaining 130,000. In total, five die marriages were utilized for the issue. Despite being the brainchild of a Nevada senator, the San Francisco Mint struck the vast majority of twenty-cent pieces in 1875 to serve a wider geographic area, leaving Carson City a distant second and the Philadelphia Mint trailing far behind.

1875-CC Twenty-Cent Piece: The Only "Collectible" CC-Mint Issue

Despite having a significantly higher mintage than the Philadelphia strike, the 1875-CC Twenty-Cent Piece (#5297) commands the highest numismatic premium for the date. As the only collectible Carson City issue in the short-lived series—the 1876-CC Twent-Cent Piece (#5300) being an extreme rarity—it carries a substantial "CC" mintmark premium that far exceeds the price of the lower-mintage 1875 Philadelphia issue. High-grade examples of the 1875-CC are scarce but obtainable for the dedicated specialist. The PCGS CoinFacts Condition Census for the top ten specimens consists entirely of coins graded MS66, with the finest known example reaching MS66+.

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PCGS #

5297

Designer

William Barber

Edge

Plain

Diameter

22.00 millimeters

Weight

5.00 grams

Mintage

133290

Metal

90% Silver, 10% Copper

Pop Higher

951

Pop Lower

1418

Region

The United States of America

Price Guide

PCGS Population

Auctions - PCGS Graded

Auctions - NGC Graded

Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More

Grades	Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.	Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.	Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.	Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	6500	R-3.7	4 / 5	4 / 5
All Grades	750	R-5.5	4 / 5	4 / 5
60 or Better	60	R-8.4	3 / 5	3 / 5

Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.
65 or Better	6500
All Grades	750
60 or Better	60

Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.
65 or Better	R-3.7
All Grades	R-5.5
60 or Better	R-8.4

Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	4 / 5
All Grades	4 / 5
60 or Better	3 / 5

Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	4 / 5
All Grades	4 / 5
60 or Better	3 / 5

Condition Census Learn More

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	PCGS MS66+	Heritage Auctions, April 23, 2015, Lot 5008 – $51,700; “The Bender Family Collection, Part I,” Heritage Auctions, August 24, 2022, Lot 3549 – $84,000. BF-2 (per Heritage Auctions). Green, blue, and red toning along rims.
2	PCGS MS66	“The Stephenville Collection,” Heritage Auctions, May 3, 2023, Lot 3078 – $52,800. BF-2 (per Heritage Auctions). Satiny brilliant centers with blue-green, gold, and russet toning appears along the periphery.
2	PCGS MS66	Colonel E.H.R. Green; unknown intermediaries. As PCGS MS66 #21070657. Rusty Goe to Eugene Gardner, May 2003; “The Eugene H. Gardner Collection," Heritage Auctions, June 2014, Lot 30338 – $49.937.50; “The Prestwick Collection,” Heritage Auctions, November 11, 2021, Lot 3541 – $84,000. As PCGS MS66 #44926737. Aquamarine, green, and aubergine toning on both sides. A small cluster of toning spots located to the left of Liberty's right arm serve as a pedigree marker.
2	PCGS MS66	As PCGS MS65 CAC #5112342. Legend Rare Coin Auctions, January 25, 2018, Lot 142 – $17,037.50. As PCGS MS66 #35448117. Legend Rare Coin Auctions, September 27, 2018, Lot 440 – $29,375. As PCGS MS66 #36606871. Goldenrod, green, and rose toning. Zigzagging light toning streak to the right of star two serves as a pediree marker.
2	Est. MS66	B. Max Mehl; unknown intermediaries; Heritage Auctions, April 30, 2009, Lot 2296 – $80,500; Rusty Goe. As NGC MS67* #3169085-001 “The Battle Born Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 7, 2012, Lot 11100 – $64,625; Heritage Auctions, April 27, 2017, Lot 4028 – $52,875. BF-4 (per Heritage Auctions). Vivid target toning on the obverse and reverse.

#1 PCGS MS66+

Heritage Auctions, April 23, 2015, Lot 5008 – $51,700; “The Bender Family Collection, Part I,” Heritage Auctions, August 24, 2022, Lot 3549 – $84,000. BF-2 (per Heritage Auctions). Green, blue, and red toning along rims.

#2 PCGS MS66

“The Stephenville Collection,” Heritage Auctions, May 3, 2023, Lot 3078 – $52,800. BF-2 (per Heritage Auctions). Satiny brilliant centers with blue-green, gold, and russet toning appears along the periphery.

#2 PCGS MS66

Colonel E.H.R. Green; unknown intermediaries. As PCGS MS66 #21070657. Rusty Goe to Eugene Gardner, May 2003; “The Eugene H. Gardner Collection," Heritage Auctions, June 2014, Lot 30338 – $49.937.50; “The Prestwick Collection,” Heritage Auctions, November 11, 2021, Lot 3541 – $84,000. As PCGS MS66 #44926737. Aquamarine, green, and aubergine toning on both sides. A small cluster of toning spots located to the left of Liberty's right arm serve as a pedigree marker.

#2 PCGS MS66

As PCGS MS65 CAC #5112342. Legend Rare Coin Auctions, January 25, 2018, Lot 142 – $17,037.50. As PCGS MS66 #35448117. Legend Rare Coin Auctions, September 27, 2018, Lot 440 – $29,375. As PCGS MS66 #36606871. Goldenrod, green, and rose toning. Zigzagging light toning streak to the right of star two serves as a pediree marker.

#2 Est. MS66

B. Max Mehl; unknown intermediaries; Heritage Auctions, April 30, 2009, Lot 2296 – $80,500; Rusty Goe. As NGC MS67* #3169085-001 “The Battle Born Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 7, 2012, Lot 11100 – $64,625; Heritage Auctions, April 27, 2017, Lot 4028 – $52,875. BF-4 (per Heritage Auctions). Vivid target toning on the obverse and reverse.