Newcomers to Nevada may not realize that a U.S. mint operated in Carson City between 1870 and 1893. It was one of only eight mints in U.S. history. Coins bearing the "CC" mintmark are among the most highly prized by today's collectors because of low production, destruction of certain Carson Mint coins by the government, and the mint's historical connection with the western frontier. On Oct. 31, 1941, the Mint became home to the Nevada State Museum. Although the Museum has occupied the site for nearly 59 years, secrets of the Mint's past are just now coming to light. This past January, while digging up the museum's parking lot for a new plaza, local contractor Dennis Cassinelli unearthed some rusty steel cylinders. They turned out to be dies, which were used to stamp coins from silver and gold blanks at the Carson Mint. The unexpected find led to an archaeological investigation by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Nevada State Museum, which ultimately revealed numerous artifacts and more than 400 additional dies, several dating back 123 years.
A small number of the old dies display reverse images, including dates, for gold and silver coins produced at the Carson Mint. The large number of dies represents several years of coin production around 1876. Several sets of dies were needed for each denomination because they became worn out or cracked from use. At the end of each year the dies would be replaced with those bearing the next year's date.
Archaeologists and historians are now piecing together a story to account for this unusual find. They believe that during the Mint's annual cleanup in June, each year's dies were discarded in a shallow, open trench and covered with a thin layer of trash. It appears that the trench was inside a wooden building next to the Mint's blacksmith shop, and the trench was eventually covered with dirt after it filled with dies. This trench successfully hid the dies for some 120 years.
Although the dies are cancelled with a "/" or "X" across the face, they probably posed a risk if they ended up in the hands of counterfeiters. It is worth pointing out that small denomination coins, ranging from dimes to half-dollars, were particularly scarce in the West where foreign coins and trade tokens circulated in place of U.S. coins. Thus, although awash in Comstock silver bullion, Nevada found herself in the ironic position of lacking U.S. silver coins. That is why in 1863 Abraham Curry, co-founder of Carson City, and Nevada's congressional delegation championed legislation authorizing a mint for Nevada. They successfully argued that bullion transportation costs to the San Francisco Mint for conversion into coins or refined bars were an excessive economic burden to mine owners. (The mint's history was published by the Nevada State Museum in Howard Hickson's Mint Mark "CC", available at the Museum gift shop or by calling 775.687.4810 ext. 234.)
Now, a good century later, the dies have been used again, this time to create unique collector pieces for coin enthusiasts. At the upcoming Nevada State Museum Coin Show Sept. 11-12 in Carson City, the raffle prizes are three one-of-a-kind silver bars stamped with the antique "CC" Mint dies unearthed this past winter on museum grounds. The coin show is open to the public for no admission charge. The State Museum is located at 600 North Carson Street in Carson City. It is open to the public seven days a week.
Note: The Nevada Dept. of Museum, Library and Arts offers many cultural resources to the public. For information, please see www.clan.lib.nv.us or call 775.687.8323.
