1879-CC Morgan Dollar

The 1879-CC Morgan Dollar was struck at the Carson City Mint in 1879 and is part of the Morgan Dollar series.

Specifications

 * Designer: George T. Morgan
 * Obverse Design: Lady Liberty
 * Reverse Design: Eagle holding arrows and olive branch
 * Edge: Reeded
 * Weight: 26.73 grams
 * Diameter: 38.1 millimeters
 * Composition: Silver (90%), Copper (10%)
 * Mintage: Circulation Strikes: est. 756,000

Background
At only 756,000 coins minted, the 1879-CC Morgan Dollar had a low mintage for this second-year issue of the Carson City Morgan Dollar.

Collecting
The 1879-CC Morgan Dollar has a low mintage and high number of coins melted, due to the 1918 Pittman Act, making this coin the first key or rare variety in the Morgan Dollar series. It is the second rarest (after the 1889-CC) of all Morgan Dollars.

Some prooflike examples exist ---most of the coins with this appearance have the proolike characteristics visible on only on one side of the coin. This feature is not particularly unusual and is appealing to some collectors.

Historical Background in 1879
On February 15, 1879, American President Rutherford B. Hayes signs a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. This was a step forward in women's rights and career women.

On February 27, 1879, the discovery of saccharin is announced. Saccharin is an artificial sweetener. The basic substance, benzoic sulfilimine, has effectively no food energy and is much sweeter than sucrose, but has a bitter or metallic aftertaste, especially at high concentrations. It is used to sweeten products such as drinks, candies, cookies, medicines, and toothpaste.

On March 14, 1879, Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist, philosopher and author who is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists and intellectuals of all time, was born. Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history. He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect". The latter was pivotal in establishing quantum theory within physics.

Die Varieties
There are several varieties available for the specialist collector.
 * VAM-1 Normal Die, Closed 9, CC Shifted left
 * VAM-2 Open 9, Doubled 8, CC Tilted Left
 * VAM-2A Doubled 8, CC Tilted Left, Die Chip Stars
 * VAM-2B Doubled 8, CC Tilted Left, Die Chips Stars, Clashed Obv. G & t (Kimpton 12 Morgan Vam)
 * VAM-3 Large over Small CC (Capped Die)
 * VAM-3A Large over Small CC, Doubled Date, Gouges Obverse & Reverse
 * VAM-4 Doubled Right C in Mint Mark
 * VAM-5 Doubled 18, Tripled Stars, Doubled Left Reverse
 * VAM-6 Tripled 1, Doubled 879, Centered CC, Crumbled Stars, Gouges Right Wreath
 * VAM-7 Doubled 18, Tripled Stars, CC Set Left and Tilted Left