1881-CC Morgan Dollar
Guidelines for Collecting:
Coinage at the Carson City Mint was suspended from April 1 to October 1, 1881. Accordingly, only 296,000 silver dollars were struck this year, the second lowest mintage of the early 1878-1885 series. As such, the 1881-CC should be a rarity today, but it is not. Large quantities of the 1881-CC were stored by the Treasury to be released in the mid-20th century. Today, this variety is easy to find in Mint State, often with deep luster and good strike. The low mintage numbers and the Carson City mintmark make this a very popular issue. Worn grades of the 1880-CC are rarities!
Availability in Circulated Grades:
This date is actually highly elusive in circulated grades; seemingly the lower on the grading scale you go the tougher it is to find an example—ask anyone putting together a high-grade circulated set of Morgan dollars.
Availability in Mint State Grades:
At one point the General Services Administration held nearly 50% of the total mintage of the date; these were sold in the early 1970s. All grades are represented in the marketplace today right up to and through the MS-65 rating.
Availability in Proof:
None produced.
The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the March 2021 Rarities Auction, where it realized $15,600.
1881-CC Morgan Dollar Auction Highlights
 PCGS MS-66+ DMPL, CAC Sold for $16,800 View Lot 2040 |  PCGS MS-67+, CAC Sold for $15,600 View Lot 4122 |  PCGS MS-67+ Sold for $15,600 View Lot 3102 |
