Coins with the famous “CC” mark of the Carson City Mint are coveted by coin collectors and those minted in 1870 – the first year of operation for the Mint – rank highly among them in terms of historic and monetary value.
Thursday, the very coin press that minted the original will be recreating replicas of the 1870 Liberty Seated Half Dollar in the same building that produced the originals almost 150 years ago.
The Nevada State Museum – which occupies for the former U.S. Branch Mint in Carson City and is the caretaker of historic Coin Press No. 1 – is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Carson City Mint with numerous events, including Thursday’s “Half Dollar Release Party.”
The ticketed event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. It will include live music by local duo Cactus Bob and Prairie Flower, beer from Great Basin Brewery and food from Bella Vita, along with a mint history program.
Tickets are $150 ($142 for Nevada State Museum members) and include a pure silver planchet and admission to the party.
The first 200 coins of a total limited-edition run of 3,000 will be struck on Thursday night and those in attendance on Thursday will have an opportunity to purchase $5 raffle tickets that will be drawn to determine the first 100 places in line at the coin press. The raffle is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Nevada State Museum.
Rusty Goe, a professional coin dealer, author and historian considered to be one of the nation’s top experts on the Carson City Mint, said it’s a significant thing the Nevada State Museum is doing.
“To replicate exactly what happened with the coin press is spectacular,” Goe said. “It’s a great thing to memorialize the mint. Now a person can walk away with a token symbol of what was really an iconic place in Carson City’s history.”
The replica coins are .999 fine Nevada silver with CC mint mark. Replicas are incused with “copy” as required by law. Each replica is mounted in a card bearing its series number.
The Nevada silver is made possible with support from Coeur Rochester, Inc., a sponsor of the museum’s Mint 150 Celebration.
The museum will also be minting the replica medallions Friday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, Aug 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Silver blanks can be purchased in the museum store for $125.
For information on attending the party or ordering a replica coin, contact the museum at 775-687-4810, ext 224. Or, send an email to Nicolette Johnston at njohnston@nevadaculture.org. Please provide information on what you wish to order and how to contact you. Raffle tickets may be purchased in advance at the museum and at the event.
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