1873-CC 10C No Arrows (Regular Strike)
Series: Liberty Seated Dimes 1837-1891
PCGS MS65
- PCGS #:
- 4661
- Designer:
- James Barton Longacre
- Edge:
- Reeded
- Diameter:
- 17.90 millimeters
- Weight:
- 2.48 grams
- Mintage:
- 12,400
- Mint:
- Carson City
- Metal:
- 90% Silver, 10% Copper
- Auction Record:
- $3,600,000 • MS65 • 01-15-2023 • Heritage Auctions
Major Varieties
- 1873-CC 10C No Arrows
Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More
| Survival Estimate | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 1 |
| 60 or Better | 1 |
| 65 or Better | 1 |
| Numismatic Rarity | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | R-10.0 |
| 60 or Better | R-10.0 |
| 65 or Better | R-10.0 |
| Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 1 / 67 |
| 60 or Better | 1 / 67 |
| 65 or Better | 1 / 67 TIE |
| Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 1 / 122 |
| 60 or Better | 1 / 122 |
| 65 or Better | 1 / 122 TIE |
Condition Census What Is This?
|
#1 MS65 PCGS grade
“The John Swan Randall Collection,” Edward Cogan, May 1878, Lot 902; Dr. Thomas Hall. Hall purchased the coin (represented to him as being unique) on February 27, 1896, for $40 and sold the coin privately in December 1900; Dewitt S. Smith; sold along with Smith's silver collection in 1908; H.O. Granberg. Granberg displayed the coin at the 1914 American Numismatic Society Exhibit in New York City;“Collection of a Prominent American,” Wayte Raymond, May 1915 – $170; Rudolph Kohler; Waldo C. Newcomer, 1915; Charles M. Williams, from Newcomer via B. Max Mehl, 1933; "The Charles Williams Collection," Numismatic Gallery (Abe Kosoff), June 15, 1950, Lot 399 – $3,650; James C. Kelly and Sol Kaplan; Kaplan to Louis E. Eliasberg,Sr., November 7, 1950 – $4,000. This was the final coin that Eliasberg required to finish his set. As NGC MS65 #400000-001. “The Louis El Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, ” Bowers and Merena, May 1996, Lot 1198 – $550,000; Waldo E. “Pat” Bolen, Jr.; As PCGS MS64. “The Waldo E. Bolen, Jr. Collection of 1873 Coinage,” Heritage Auctions, April 23, 1999, Lot 5928 – $632,500. Purchased by Jay Parrino. Parrino listed for sale in undated (early 2000s) Jay Parrino catalog for $1,000,000; Bowers and Merena, July 2004 – $891,250; Rusty Goe on behalf of the Battle Born Collector; As PCGS MS65. “The Battle Born Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 2012, Lot 11104 – $1,880,000; “The Prestwick Collection, Part II,” Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2023, Lot 3671 – $3,600,000. Unique. Latte toning throughout with isolated areas of blue/purple toning along the periphery. |
The 1873-CC "No Arrows" Liberty Seated Dime
Of the two distinct types of Liberty Seated Dimes struck at the Carson City Mint in 1873, the "No Arrows" variety (#4661) stands as one of the greatest rarities in American numismatics. Out of the original mintage, only a single example is known to exist today.
The "Crime of '73" and the Weight Change
In January 1873, the Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Carson City Mints began the year producing coinage under the standards of the time. However, this normalcy was shattered on February 12, 1873, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Mint Act of 1873.
This landmark legislation—later dubbed the "Crime of '73" by proponents of silver—mandated a slight increase in the silver content of the dime, quarter, and half dollar. For the Liberty Seated Dime, the weight was increased from 2.48 grams to 2.50 grams. More significantly, the Act abolished the standard silver dollar, signaling the nation's definitive shift toward the gold standard.
Distinguishing the Two Types
To visually distinguish the new, heavier coins from the old standard, the Mint added arrowheads to either side of the date. This was a reprise of the design change used from 1853 to 1855, though in that earlier instance, the arrows signified a weight reduction.
1. The 1873-CC "No Arrows" (The Rarity) Before the new law took effect, the Carson City Mint had already struck 12,400 dimes at the old 2.48-gram standard. Because they were rendered obsolete by the Mint Act, these coins were never officially released. It is believed the entire mintage was melted down for recoining into the new standard.
Only one example escaped the crucible. This unique specimen boasts a pedigree stretching back to the 1870s and is currently valued at just under $5 million.
2. The 1873-CC "With Arrows" (4666) Following the arrival of the updated obverse dies, Carson City produced 18,791 dimes at the new 2.50-gram standard. Unlike their predecessor, these coins entered general circulation. While survivors are occasionally found in heavily worn grades, they remain elusive in high quality; only two examples are confirmed in Mint State.
The Story of the Unique Example
The only known example of the 1873-CC "No Arrows" Liberty Seated Dime traces its provenance to the collection of John Swan Randall. A prominent figure in Norwich, New York, Randall was a lawyer who dedicated his leisure time to numismatics and entomology (the study of insects). Beyond his specific rarities, Randall is legendary for the "Randall Hoard"—a massive accumulation of 1816–1820 Coronet Head Cents. He acquired the hoard from a local grocer who had purchased several kegs of the coins that had been tucked away under a rairload station platform in Georgia for decades. This discovery remains the primary reason for the high number of Mint State survivors from those specific years.
Curiously, Randall collected Carson City coinage at a time when collecting coins by mintmark was atypical. Highlights from the Randall Collection In addition to the unique dime, Randall held a significant assembly of Carson City coinage, including:
- Liberty Seated Dollars: 1870-CC (#6694), 1871-CC (#6967), and 1872-CC (#6969).
- Trade Dollars: 1873-CC (#7032), 1874-CC (#7035, 2 pieces), 1875-CC (#7038), 1876-CC (#7042), and 1877-CC (#7045)
- Liberty Seated Half Dollars: 1870-CC (#6328, 2 pieces), 1871-CC (#6331), 1872-CC (#6334), 1873-CC No Arrows (#6338, 2 pieces), 1873 With Arrows (#6344), 1874-CC (#6347), 1875-CC (#6350), 1876-CC (#6353), and 1877-CC (#6356, 2 pieces)
- Liberty Seated Quarters: 1871-CC (#5479), 1872-CC (#5482), 1873-CC No Arrows (#5486), 1875-CC (#5499), 1876-CC (#5502), and 1877-CC (#5505).
- Liberty Seated Dimes: 1871-CC (#4654), 1872-CC (#4657), 1873-CC No Arrows (#4661), 1874-CC (#4669), 1875-CC (#4674), and 1877-CC (#4683, 2 pieces)