Jeff Ambio: Small, round CC mintmark with a sharp die line extending from the olive branch toward the right edge of the letter D in DOL that also serves to identify this particular reverse die. Closer inspection reveals several spindly peripheral die cracks on both sides, on the obverse from 8 oclock to 4 oclock and on the reverse from the base of the letter L in DOL into the field after the final letter A in AMERICA.

Rusty Goe: The discovery of a massive deluge of precious metals during the Comstock Lode's "Big Bonanza" period in the 1870s, happening simultaneously with the unfolding of the Specie Resumption Act was a significant game-changing accident of history.

The Treasury Secretary ordered Director of the Mint Henry R. Linderman to instruct the three working mints to "run to their utmost capacity, in order to execute with promptness the laws in reference to the issue of the silver coinage." Director Linderman in his 1876 annual report, described how employees at all mints had met the increased demands for coins by working many hours of overtime, and that "not a single word of complaint has been heard from any source."

Of all silver-coin denominations struck at the Carson Mint in 1876, quarter dollars demonstrated Director Linderman's observations about record-setting levels of coinage production. No longer restrained from manufacturing quarters since the twenty-cent piece appeared to be doomed, Carson Mint coiners used December 1875's production of twenty-five-cent pieces as a building block to escalate output in 1876. By year's end, the Carson Mint had multiplied 1875's quarter yield by more than 3,500 percent, averaging 412,000 pieces a month.

The year that witnessed the striking of the most famous twenty-cent piece in history also saw the highest production of twenty-five-cent pieces at the Carson City Mint. Bullion output on the Comstock Lode reached a new pinnacle in that same year of 1876.

For collectors in the 21st century who desire to own a quarter dollar from the Carson City Mint but who don't want to spend the money required to buy one of the rare dates, the 1876-CC is a logical choice. Even with its relatively abundant extant population, however, the 1876-CC quarter in grades above MS-63 becomes more challenging in terms of price. As with all rare coins, the higher up the condition ladder a person scales, the more ambitious becomes the task of finding just the right piece, and the more demanding on the budget.

Q. David Bowers: In 1876 the mintage of quarter dollars took a quantum leap to the remarkable figure of 4,944,000, setting a record for the denomination at this mint. Rusty Goe estimates that 4,000 to 7,500 exist in all grades, with perhaps 500 to 600 in Mint State, making this variety easily available. However, cherrypicking is needed to get the best value.

The specialist in die varieties can find a lot to like in this series, if he or she is equipped with a magnifying glass and the edges are visible. There are two general reverse types, so-called Type I with TATE closely spaced and Type II with the same letters spaced slightly farther apart. The reeding on the edges is most unusual with three different counts noted: 113 or coarse reeding, 122, and 153 or fine reeding. There are also a number of variations in the position of date numerals and also with small CC mintmark (as on most) and large CC. Specialists in such varieties can consult Larry Briggs' book The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of United States Liberty Seated Quarters, which has been a popular reference for a long time.

Among the dies used is one that served to produce the 1873-CC No Arrows rarities. Larry Briggs devotes extensive space to delineating many different obverse and reverse varieties, a text worth checking if such might be of interest.

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 $8,812.