1874-CC Liberty Head Eagle. Winter 1-A, the only known dies. EF-45 (PCGS). CAC.
This handsome piece exhibits rich honey-orange color with delicate toning in pale pinkish-red. The appearance is remarkably smooth for a lightly circulated CC-Mint eagle of this date and, indeed, there are not even trivial distractions to report. Sharply defined apart from a touch of softness to the hair curls over Liberty's brow and the uppermost arrow feather on the reverse. Really a lovely coin, and a significant rarity as an 1874-CC eagle with CAC approval. All gold coins struck at the Carson City Mint saw extensive use, especially those from the early and mid-1870s. Production for the eagle reached 16,767 pieces at this facility in 1874, and estimates for surviving examples range anywhere from 150 to 400 pieces. Rusty Goe provides the most up-to-date and (in our opinion) accurate estimate of 275 to 300 coins extant in his book The Confident Carson City Coin Collector (2020). More than half of the examples grade VF or lower, however, and with only two Mint State survivors accounted for, this scarce Choice EF coin represents the finest realistically obtainable for many discerning collectors. An opportunity not to be missed.
PCGS# 8670. NGC ID: 2658.
PCGS Population: 40; 41 finer, just one of which is Mint State (MS-63). CAC Population: 9; 7 (AU-55 finest certified).
From the Fairmont Collection - JBR Set.