US Coins

Summer FUN in Orlando: 50+ Carson City Mint coins

By Steve Roach

Published: Jun 22, 2017, 10 AM

Two 1874-CC Coronet gold $20 double eagles from The Reno Cache — each graded AU-58 CAC — will highlight Heritage’s 2017 Summer FUN auction. The illustrated example has the desirable dirty gold surfaces characteristic of many original, uncleaned gold coins.

Original images courtesy of Heritage Auctions

This 1874-CC Coronet gold $20 double eagle from The Reno Cache is one of two in the auction that is graded AU-58 and bears a CAC sticker.

Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions

This handsome MS-63 1885 Indian Head gold $3 piece is a highlight of a strong offering of the odd-denomination gold coin that was struck between 1854 and 1889.

Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions

Florida United Numismatists is set to host its 11th annual Summer FUN convention at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center from July 6 to 8, with Heritage offering the official auctions of the convention.

More than 50 Carson City Mint Coronet double eagles will be offered as part of The Reno Cache — newly obtained from foreign holdings including banks — presenting an unusually large and comprehensive offering of Carson City Mint gold coins. The finest among the six 1874-CC double eagles are two that are each graded About Uncirculated 58 by Professional Coin Grading Service and bear a green Certified Acceptance Corp. sticker indicating quality within the grade.

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Most of the 115,085 double eagles struck at the Carson City Mint in 1874 enjoyed moderate to heavy circulation, and most known survivors grade Extremely Fine to About Uncirculated, with low-end Mint State examples occupying the very top end of the grade.

On the first of the two AU-58 CAC examples offered in Heritage’s July 6 Premier Session, the description reads, “The pleasing orange-gold surfaces retain significant amounts of original mint luster and show the expected number of minor contact marks for the grade.” On the next, Heritage observes, “This near-Mint example has dusky steel-blue toning on the high points that is characteristic of original, uncleaned pieces stored in vaults for many decades.”

The charm of the Morgan dollar, plus a look at the largest U.S. gold coin to circulate: Another column in the July 3 Coin World takes a look at the whimsical names of the $2 Federal Reserve note

For those collectors of more modest means, the sale also offers an 1874-CC Coronet double eagle graded AU Details, Bent, by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. The bend is seen at the back of Liberty’s head, but the coin is described as “an otherwise wholesome Carson City twenty with natural surfaces and attractive mint luster still in evidence on both sides.”

A nice group of Indian Head gold $3 coins will also be presented, including an 1885 example graded Mint State 63 by PCGS. It comes from a low mintage of just 801 examples that were seemingly produced with care by the Philadelphia Mint. Many exhibit prooflike surfaces — so much so that Heritage records that many nice Mint State 1885 Indian Head $3 coins have been sold as Proofs over the years.

The auctioneer adds, “This impressive Select specimen offers sharply detailed design elements throughout, and the pleasing orange-gold surfaces show only minor signs of contact.”

It is the second lowest mintage of any regular issue gold $3 piece, and while there are rarer issues in the series, it carries a certain mystique due to its very low mintage.

Another gold $3 piece of note is an 1886 issue graded PCGS Proof 64+ Deep Cameo that is among the finest known of perhaps 90 surviving examples from an original mintage of 142.