Jeff Ambio: The obverse die has a medium size date that is set somewhat low in the field and closer to the denticles. The reverse die exhibits a widely spaced, medium size CC mintmark that is centered over the space between the words TWENTY and DOLLARS. The first C is barely over the extreme right edge of the letter Y in TWENTY and the second C is barely over the extreme left edge of the letter D in DOLLARS.

Perhaps surprisingly for a low mintage issue, the 1885-CC is generally not a well produced coin. The typical example is softly defined in isolated areas on the obverse, and luster on high grade survivors tends to be a bit subdued with a granular texture.

Rusty Goe: Superintendent James Crawford spent New Year's week in 1885 in a rooming house in Oakland, CA, under strict medical supervision; he died there on Sunday, March 8, 1885. During his more than ten years at the helm of Nevada's coin factory, Crawford had been beaten at times, but never defeated. Only death could do that.

Mint Director Horatio Burchard ordered that the Carson Mint's replacement superintendent, Democrat William Garrard, should suspend coinage operations at Carson City, just 20 days after Crawford's death. The suspension would remain in effect for over four years.

On the Comstock yields had risen in 1885 to their highest levels since 1880, to nearly $2 million in gold and more than that in silver. These weren't Big Bonanza numbers, but they were adequate to keep miners looking for more.

The increased activity on the Comstock and the productivity of the other mints mattered little to the residents of Carson City. Their mint lay idle, with only occasional bullion deposits coming in for assaying and refining. Coiner Levi Dague, before he was fired by the new Democratic regime, had stamped out 9,450 double eagles in the first two months of 1885, the total for the year.

Of that original output, perhaps five percent survives today.

Q. David Bowers: This is the final Carson City double eagle coinage until 1889-CC; the mint struck no coins of any denomination 1886-1888.

I suggest that today about 275 to 400 are known in circulated grades, mostly EF and AU from repatriations that began in the 1950s. Still the 1885-CC is rather scarce by virtue of its low mintage and is a key date in the Carson City series.

Regarding Mint State I suggest a population of just 20 to 30. Mint State twenties when encountered are nearly always at or near the MS-60 level and extensively bagmarked. Most such pieces have come on the market in recent decades.

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the Fairmont Collection, Hendricks Set, where it realized $264,000.