1877-CC Double Eagle - 1877-CC $20 NGC AU50. This Western branch mint 1877-CC Double Eagle is the first year of the Type 3 design struck at Carson City. This 1877-CC Double Eagle has an above average strike with full details on most of the obverse stars and the design elements of the reverse. Light, even wear is indicative of the Almost Uncirculated grade. The surfaces are original and clean for the grade with no individual abrasion marks worthy of note. The vertical scuff mark at the top of the obverse is on the holder not the coin.

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.

Between 1870 and 1873, mintage at Carson City was limited because of political reasons. The Mint Superintendent, H.F. Rice was dismissed because of claims that the mint issued some light weight and debased coins. Rice could have been executed. This partly verified information led to frequently seen edge test marks on the gold pieces of this period. Those who wanted the Carson City Mint closed use this discovery to urge the closing. Their real motive was that they wanted the lucrative shipping contracts to move the oar to San Francisco.

The first coin produced was the Liberty Seated 1870-CC dollar. A person who had deposited silver at the mint received 2,303 silver dollars. Shortly afterwards, gold eagles, half eagles and double eagles were struck. The Mint did not strike coins made of copper or nickel, and it never struck half dimes, gold dollars, quarter eagles, or three dollar gold coins.