PCGS Market Deep Dive: U.S. 20 Cent Coinage By Type

The short-lived United States 20 Cent was produced for only four years from 1875 to 1878. This fascinating series, designed by William Barber with an obverse in the style of the Christian Gobrect’s quintessential Liberty Seated motif, could be summed up as numismatically enigmatic. Frequently dubbed the “double dime,” this denomination failed to catch on as a convenient method of payment. It was often confused with the quarter, many didn’t mind using two dimes instead of a single 20 Cent as a form of payment, and others preferred using the still-prevalent Fractional Notes for small transactions. However, for as short a series it was, the 20 Cent yielded a great many treasures for numismatists.

The 20 Cent has two main collector markets: the type enthusiast and the classic specialist. Type collectors on a tighter budget may opt for buying a circulated 1875-S, which is the most common issue in the series both by mintage (1,155,000 were struck) and by the number of survivors today (about 25,000, per PCGS estimates). Type collectors with more fluid budgets often aim for scarcer series representatives (like the 1875-CC, with its mintage of 133,290) or higher-end examples in loftier grades.

Those who wish to build out a PCGS Registry Set of 20 Cents based around the acquisition of every date and mintmark have a significant challenge on their hands. The stopper in this series is the highly rare 1876-CC, which saw a mintage of just 10,000 – most of which was melted. PCGS estimates fewer than 20 survive across all grades, and the 1876-CC generally realizes six figures regardless of grade. The proof-only issues of 1877 and 1878 are at least four-figure coins in any condition. Not a series known for its volatile price movements, the 20 Cent coin has seen slow but steady price appreciation over the years, particularly for premium-quality Mint State and proof specimens graded by PCGS.