1872-CC $5 (1872-CC Half Eagle) PCGS AU50. This buttery 1872-CC Half Eagle, although lightly circulated, retains a considerable amount of mint luster within its devices. The coin shows all of the details necessary for the grade including the separation between the lines of Libertys hair above the coronet, the hair that flows down her neck, and the hair above her ear. The coin has a strong peripheral strike, which is evidenced by the detail on dentils, the stars, and the reverse legends.

Christian Gobrecht designed the Liberty Head half eagle. It has a left facing profile of Liberty wearing a LIBERTY inscribed coronet. Her hair is tied in the back and there are two loose curls that hang down her neck. Around the head are thirteen six-pointed stars, and the date is below the truncation. At the periphery of the coin are dentils. The coin also has a reeded edge. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle similar to the one on the Classic Head eagle. The eagles head is turned to the left. In its talons it holds an olive branch and arrows, symbols of peace and preparedness. Above its head on a banner, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the eagle, except for its wing tips, in an arc. The denomination is below, separated with dots, and written as FIVE D.

In March, 1865, a coinage act was passed that required that the motto be added to all coins large enough to accommodate it. The Mint interpreted this to mean for gold coinage the half eagle, the eagle, and the double eagle. This coin was created as a result of this mandate. (All silver coins larger than a dime also had the motto added.)

According to the records of the United States Treasury Department, the first request for the recognition of God on coinage was made in a letter from the Reverend Mark Richards Watkinson of Ridlelyville, Pennsylvania on November 13, 1861 to Salmon P. Chase, Treasury Secretary. You are about to submit your annual report to Congress respecting the affairs of the national finances, Watkinson said in the letter. One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form in our coins. This letter set off a series of events that caused an 1864 law to be passed allowing the In God We Trust motto to be placed on coins and the 1865 law that mandated it.

Authorized in 1863, the Carson City Mint began coinage in 1870 and continued until 1893. It was then operated as a government assay office until 1933 when it was closed as a cost cutting measure. During its operation the Carson City Mint made fifty-seven different types of gold coins. It also converted gold bullion and oar into gold bars which were shipped to San Francisco for coinage there. Coins issued from the Carson City Mint used the CC mint mark. Originally established to convert silver from the Comstock Lode to coinage, the Carson City Mint also processed gold in to gold coins.

When first discovered, gold and silver found in Nevada had to be shipped over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the branch mint in San Francisco. This trip was dangerous and expensive. The Nevada mine owners asked Congress to establish a branch of the mint in their state, and legislation was enacted in 1863. Carson City was chosen as the location for the mint facility because it was near some of the major mining sites.

The 1872-CC half eagle had an original mintage of only 16,980 coins. Less than 100 are known to exist today. In its population report, PCGS has not graded a single uncirculated specimen. This AU-50 is nearly choice and is an excellent example of this rare Carson City gold.

At this grade level, 9 have been certified with 12 better.