IF you got your hands on an 1871-CC Seated Liberty Quarter you’re in luck as it’s recently been valued at $456,000 – but you must check for two important details.
The coin’s worth, however, is not only determined by its rarity but by a distinctive feature — Lady Liberty on the front and text that reads Quar Dol on the back.
The 1871-CC Seated Liberty Quarter pictured above is a Low-Mintage Carson City Rarity[/caption]
This is considered the finest known example of this exceedingly rare coin[/caption]
The rare quarter sold at Heritage Auctions for $456,000 on August 24, 2022[/caption]
The coin is a landmark branch mint rarity, from a minuscule mintage of just 10,890 pieces, according to Heritage Auctions.
Its scarcity is especially pronounced in Mint State condition, making any surviving examples highly sought after by collectors.
The quarter is among “the eight rarest date denominations in the comprehensive Carson City coin series,” Carson City specialist Rusty Goe said.
Only three of the quarters were ever certified in Mint State grades with the auction offering one of them.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THESE DETAILS
While its rarity is certainly a factor, what sets this specific 1871-CC quarter apart is Lady Liberty on the front and Quar Doll text on the back.
Lady Liberty is in a seated position holding up a flag in one hand and a shield that reads Liberty in another.
Quar Doll is below a picture of an eagle with text above that reads In God We Trust.
The coin’s surface appears to be “pristine” and “well-preserved,” according to the auction.
When inspecting the coin closely an intricate array of colors emerges including silver-gray, with accents of olive, copper-russet, blue-gray, and amber.
THE PAST OF THE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER COIN
In Carson City, Nevada in 1871, a small mintage of quarters was sent out in three separate batches throughout the year.
In February of that year, 3,490 coins were delivered, another 2,400 examples were delivered in August, and a final 5,000 pieces were delivered at the end of September.
The coins were released into circulation at the time of issue and the small mintage suffered heavy wear and attrition over the years.
Most likely no more than 45-60 examples survive in all grades today, according to Heritage Auctions.
INSIDE PREVIOUS SALES
Numismatists have compared this highly sought-after quarter to other high-grade examples sold in the 20th century.
How coins are graded
Coins are graded on a scale of one to 70, with one being the poorest grade, and 70 being the most pristine example.
Numbers 60 to 70 are generally the most sought-after by collectors and are known as Mint State coins.
Pieces that fetch thousands at auction are commonly found in MS67, MS68, and MS69 conditions.
An MS-70 is near-impossible to find among older coins.
Two more sales of high-grade 1871-CC quarters took place including lot 361 of the C.R. Huntington Collection (United States Coin Company, 5/1916.
The quarter was described as “1871 Wide CC. Uncirculated, brilliant mint lustre. Extremely rare, especially in this condition.”
It ended up selling for $24 to Virgil Brand, who was a super-collector of coins.
When Brand died in 1926 his coin collection was split amongst his brothers.
The rare quarter was sold to Wayte Raymond in October 1933 for around $50 and reportedly sold later to Colonel Green, according to the auction.
The coin previously fetched a substantial sum last time it was in auction in 2014 and 2015 garnering a whopping $352,500.
The most recent sale for the rare coin sold for $456,000 on August 24, 2022, per Heritage Auctions.
The U.S. Sun has reported on a penny that sold for $20,000 at auction.
Plus, see the exact date of a $7,000 coin for which the price continues to rise.
