Jeff Ambio: Only a single obverse die has been identified for the 1872-CC eagle. It is identifiable by a large, low date that is positioned fairly evenly in the field. There are two known reverse dies, however, and they were both previously used to strike 1870-CC eagles. Reverse A exhibits a small, round CC mintmark positioned well to the left of the lowermost arrow feather. Both letters in the mintmark are even.

The 1872-CC is generally not as well struck as the 1870-CC and 1871-CC, and most examples are apt to be quite blunt over and around the central high points. This feature is often compounded by wear, as most known survivors grade no finer than VF.

Rusty Goe: In 1872, Comstock production rose by 20 to 25 percent, depending on whose estimates we use, bringing the yield back to the levels that the Comstock had seen in the 1860s, beginning in 1863. The Carson Mint received about as much of a percentage of the Comstock's production as it had the year before; but because of a higher yield of ore, the face value of the deposits soared. Coinage output rose 60 percent from the previous year's figure.

The demand for the ten-dollar gold denomination remained stagnant. The Treasury wouldn't increase its quotas for smaller gold coins for seven more years, with a slight exception occurring in 1874.

Coiner Granville Hosmer turned out only 900 eagles in the first six months of 1872 (although some sources report this run was delivered in the last half of 1871). In the second half of the year Hosmer, and possibly his replacement, Chauncey Noteware, minted 4,600 more eagles.

Q. David Bowers: As is true of the other Carson City gold coins minted from 1870 up to this point in time, none circulated in the East or Midwest, or are known to have been exported at the time. The coins remained in the channels of commerce, generally wearing down to grades collectors know as Fine to Very Fine, with relatively few higher.

I estimate that about 40 to 60 or so survive today, none of which reach the Mint State level. Very Fine is the median grade.

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the August 2012 Battle Born Collection of Carson City Coinage, where it realized $64,625.