The Carson City Mint was a branch of the United States Mint in Carson City, Nevada. Built at the peak of the silver boom, 50 issues of silver coins and 57 issues of gold coins minted here between 1870 and 1893 bore the "CC" mint mark. The mint was established in Carson City to facilitate minting of silver coins from silver in the Comstock Lode, somewhat like how the San Francisco Mint was established to facilitate minting gold coins from the gold of the California gold rush. From 1895 to 1933, the building served as the U.S. Assay Office for gold and silver. The Federal Government sold the building to the state of Nevada in 1939. Coins struck there are generally rare and have a high premium, especially Morgan Dollars that were struck there.
The building that housed the mint was the first designed by Alfred B. Mullett after he became Supervising Architect of the Department of the Treasury. The construction supervisor was Abraham Curry, also known as the "Father of Carson City." The simple Renaissance Revival style stone facade has pairs of round-headed windows and a center portico. It is now the home of the Nevada State Museum.
The Carson City Mint struck coins in the following denominations:
Silver Denominations
- Dime (1871-1878)
- Twenty-Cent Piece (1875-1876)
- Quarter Dollar (1870-1878)
- Half Dollar (1870-1878)
- Dollar (1870-1885 and 1889-1893)
Gold Denominations
- Half Eagle or $5.00 Gold (1870-1884 and 1890-1893)
- Eagle or $10.00 Gold (1870-1884 and 1890-1893)
- Double Eagle or $20.00 Gold (1870-1885 and 1889-1893)
Read more about Carson City Mint: Photos
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