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A great time had at the Carson City Mint Musuem

TahoeDaleTahoeDale Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭
in PCGS Set Registry Forum
Seth Chandler and I spent Saturday driving from Lake Tahoe to Carson City, and then the Nevada State Museum. which is the Old Carson City Mint. ( though we had PM-ed previously, this was the first time we had met).

The building now houses many exhibits concerning the history of Nevada, but the most interesting to us collectors was the portion reserved for the mint history.

One of the 3 original presses is still in operation, and a local collector minted several blank planchets(brass) for the visitors. It is a commemorative medallion with the Great Seal of the State of Nevada and on the reverse is a picture of the press, indicating it was used to produce this coin.

A video presentation was also viewed, with lots more information about the struggle to get the mint in operation.

A very worthwhile day, and suggested for all who can be in the area.
In a month, the coins for all denominations will be back up for viewing(we did not get to see them), and a local coin show in late August takes place at the museum.

Seth, fill in the blanks where appropriate. And thanks for including me in the trip. A great idea

TahoeDale

Comments

  • monstermanmonsterman Posts: 797
    aw shucks....i wish i went with you 2 guys....i`ll see you 2 in sf later this month

    monsterman
    my goal is to find the monsters and i go where they are but i sometimes miss some.... so if you have any and want to sell IM THE BUYER FOR THEM!!!

    out of rockets ...out of bullets...switching to harsh language
  • RegistryCoinRegistryCoin Posts: 5,117 ✭✭✭✭
    I used to go as often as I could when I lived in Incline. The old mint is a great place! I always feel like a kid there. image
  • DabigkahunaDabigkahuna Posts: 3,419


    Man, that sounds like a fun trip!

    Anyone know if Hwy 108 is open yet?


    Larry
    Dabigkahun
    image
    My Ebay Auctions
    image
  • stephunterstephunter Posts: 2,324 ✭✭✭
    That is a fun trip. I have been a couple of times and the coins that were on display were incredible. I am not to familiar with gold, but I think they had one of each that was minted at the CC mint, but for me the best was the 1876 CC 20 cent piece.
  • RobgettyRobgetty Posts: 1,112
    My grandparents live in Carson City; I've been to the mint museum a few times.

    It definately is worth the trip.
    Robert Getty - Lifetime project to complete the finest collection of 1872 dated coins.
  • RegistryCoinRegistryCoin Posts: 5,117 ✭✭✭✭
    They have (had?) this great "mine shaft" exhibit one could walk down/through showing various scenes from typical mining operations. Dark and kinda eerie, this exhibit is a one-of-a-kind winner for kids of all ages. Is there still a coin shop across the street? image
  • RobgettyRobgetty Posts: 1,112
    There was recently. The one thing I remember about the shop was that the guy had
    dozens of common date Washington quarters in PCGS MS64 slabs. 5 or 6 examples of
    each of the dates. He said that his former partner had bought a massive lot.
    Robert Getty - Lifetime project to complete the finest collection of 1872 dated coins.
  • TahoeDaleTahoeDale Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭
    The coin shop is still there-typical retail and a lot of slabs for moderns. We did see a nice 1912-S barber quarter in a 2x2 graded AU 50.

    I remember a poster at the museum re the mine shaft tour, but we did not take it.

    The coin show will be at the museum on Aug 27 and 28. Local collector indicated about 30 tables-all coins, not just cc's.
    TahoeDale
  • SethChandlerSethChandler Posts: 1,710 ✭✭✭✭
    It was a blast. Lots of history in that building. As Dale said, coin press number one was there and in great working order. It originally ran on steam but them it was converted sometime in the 1930's to electricity. From the 40's throught 1955 it was used at the SF mint. After a few years, via a public fund raising effort, the press went back to CC as a display. But wait! In 1964, due to a coin shortage(remember the roll craze?), the press went to the Denver mint and banged out 188 million coins over three years, verses about 12,000 coins a day back in the 1870's. Then she was put down down at her final resting place, back home at the coining room at the CC mint.

    Two of the three presses struck all denominations, whereas the third minted smaller denomination coins. Interestingly, I had brought along a 1880-CC Eagle to show around and I thought that it was cool that there was a 50% chance that the coin press we were looking at struck my coin!

    I just wished the CC coin collection was on display, it was removed to prepare for a better display case. Should be up in about two months.


    I'd highly recommend visiting.

    FYI, here is a list of the rarest CC coins:

    1873-CC No Arrows Dime value $1,000,000 unique
    1873-CC No Arrows Quarter $350,000 three or four known
    1876-CC Twenty cent piece $250,000 20 known
    1870-CC Twenty Dollar Gold XF $175,000 30 known

    I'm not into varities, therefore the first two doesn't count for me. I'd take the 70-CC Twenty Dollar any day!

    When I got back from Carson City, I told a few friends and they informed me that is where the world famous Bunny Ranch is located. You know...HBO has a series about this whorehouse, great show! Dale, why didn't we take a detour on the way to the mint?image

    I gotta tell you though, my favorite part of the trip was looking at Dale's coin collection!image


    Seth
    Collecting since 1976.
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