#carsoncitymint

[laurabennett]

The Morgan Dollar's Secret: What the "CC" Mint Mark Really Means.

A "CC" mint mark on a Morgan Silver Dollar is more than just a letter—it’s a stamp of the Wild West. It stands for the Carson City Mint in Nevada.

Born from a Silver Boom: The Carson City Mint was built in 1870 specifically to coin the massive amounts of silver coming from the nearby Comstock Lode, one of the richest silver strikes in history. For 23 years, it turned raw Nevada silver into iconic American coins.

Why "CC" Morgans Are Special:

Frontier Authenticity: They were literally made at the source of the silver rush.

Shorter Production: The mint only operated from 1870-1893, and its Morgan dollar production was sporadic. Some years, like 1885-CC, had mintages under 300,000, making them key dates.

The GSA Hoard: In the 1970s, the U.S. government sold millions of last-surviving Carson City dollars from Treasury vaults in special holders. This famous sale introduced a generation of collectors to these coins.

While not every CC Morgan is rare, each one carries the rugged story of America’s expansion. They are tangible pieces of the mining frontier. If you’re lucky enough to have one, scan it with coin value checker to pinpoint its specific year and understand its place in this legendary series.

[billpichette]

Carson City-Reno

6/12/2014 – Back on 395, I made my way to Carson City Nevada. Strange thing about Carson City is that it has remained the capital since territorial days, when it was a hub for mining activity in the area. Unlike Idaho, whose first capital was Lewiston for basically the same reason, armed thugs did not ride into town, steal documents, and then transport them back to Reno or Las Vegas as they grew, which a group from Boise did, then claimed it as the capital. I wanted to add one more former mint building to my list (Charlotte, New Orleans…). What I discovered about the Carson City Mint was that they refined their own silver and gold. After the US Mint was shut down, the building continued to be used as an assay office until being handed over to the State of Nevada to be used as a museum, which it still is today. They have an extensive exhibit on the mint including coins, equipment, a film, and a press which is still used once a month to stamp medallions. A temporary photography display, part of an exhibit on explorer John C Fremont, is where I learned three new things about him-he was an illegitimate child of an affair (his mother was married and fooled around with the tutor); he taught math before joining the army; and he explored parts of Oregon. I also took a quick walk around downtown and the state government buildings. I was on a mission to buy something from the Nevada Sesquicentennial. At the State House I caught part of a ceremony involving a Pony Express reenactment.

I ended up spending the night in Reno-I don’t want to talk about it.