1871-CC LIBERTY HEAD $20 AU53

VERY CHOICE, LIGHTLY WORD SURFACES. A KEY CARSON CITY DATE FOR THE $20 LIBERTY SERIES. ONLY A HANDFUL EXIST IN MINT STATE CONDITION. It is the sign of the slow progress that the Carson City Mint was making in the area of Double Eagle production that a delivery of 17,787 pieces in 1871 represents a significant increase over that of the first-year 1870-CC. With only 200-250 coins believed to have survived, the 1871-CC is the second-rarest Double Eagle from this branch mint. Typically offered in either VF or EF condition, this issue is rare in AU and extremely so in Mint State. In fact, the two major certification services have certified only five Uncirculated examples, all of which are listed at NGC (July, 2007).