1870-CC 25C VG8 Certification #28553706, PCGS #5477

CoinFacts Details

Expert Comments

Ron Guth

Though it is not the rarest of the Seated Liberty Quarter Dollars, the 1870-CC ranks right near the top. Anyone interested in collecting coins from the Carson City Mint knows how difficult it is to locate an example of this date. Prices are high, even for low grade coins, and values escalate in the AU range. Only one Mint State example has been positively identified, that being the NGC MS64 Eliasberg example which sold for a record price of $187,000 back in 1997. To illustrate how rapidly values have increased for this date, in 2012 a PCGS AU55 example sold for $184,000 (which begs the question: What is the MS64 worth today?).

PCGS #

5477

Designer

Robert Ball Hughes/Christian Gobrecht

Edge

Reeded

Diameter

24.30 millimeters

Weight

6.20 grams

Mintage

8340

Metal

90% Silver, 10% Copper

Pop Higher

Pop Lower

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	300	R-6.4	8 / 48 TIE	16 / 114 TIE
All Grades	0	R-10.1	1 / 48	1 / 114
60 or Better	0	R-10.1	1 / 48	1 / 114

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	300
All Grades	0
60 or Better	0

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-6.4
All Grades	R-10.1
60 or Better	R-10.1

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	8 / 48 TIE
All Grades	1 / 48
60 or Better	1 / 48

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	16 / 114 TIE
All Grades	1 / 114
60 or Better	1 / 114

Condition Census Learn More

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	MS63 estimated grade	William B. Wetmore Collection - S.H. & H. Chapman 6/1906 - J.M. Clapp - John H. Clapp - Clapp estate, 1942 - Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Bowers & Merena 4/1997:1495, $187,000 According to Rusty Goe, Carson City coin expert, the attribution of this coin to the Harlan P. Smith Collection is incorrect. This was an error in the Clapp notebook, as no 1870-CC Quarter Dollar appeared in Chapman Brothers’ sale of the H.P. Smith collection. The Wetmore sale took place the day after the Smith sale and contained an 1870-CC Quarter Dollar that sold for $10, the exact amount recorded in the Clapp notebook.
2	AU55 PCGS grade	The plate coin in “The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of United States Liberty Seated Quarters” by Larry Briggs Richmond Collection - David Lawrence 3/2005:1471 - Rusty Goe - Battle Born Collection - Stack’s/Bowers 8/2012:11091, $184,000 - Eugene H. Gardner Collection - Heritage 5/2015:98354, $188,000
3	AU53 PCGS grade	Kuether-Jewison
4	AU50 PCGS grade
5	XF45 PCGS grade

#1 MS63 estimated grade

William B. Wetmore Collection - S.H. & H. Chapman 6/1906 - J.M. Clapp - John H. Clapp - Clapp estate, 1942 - Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Bowers & Merena 4/1997:1495, $187,000

According to Rusty Goe, Carson City coin expert, the attribution of this coin to the Harlan P. Smith Collection is incorrect. This was an error in the Clapp notebook, as no 1870-CC Quarter Dollar appeared in Chapman Brothers’ sale of the H.P. Smith collection. The Wetmore sale took place the day after the Smith sale and contained an 1870-CC Quarter Dollar that sold for $10, the exact amount recorded in the Clapp notebook.

#2 AU55 PCGS grade

The plate coin in “The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of United States Liberty Seated Quarters” by Larry Briggs

Richmond Collection - David Lawrence 3/2005:1471 - Rusty Goe - Battle Born Collection - Stack’s/Bowers 8/2012:11091, $184,000 - Eugene H. Gardner Collection - Heritage 5/2015:98354, $188,000

#3 AU53 PCGS grade

Kuether-Jewison

#4 AU50 PCGS grade

#5 XF45 PCGS grade