How to Identify the 1872-CC Seated Liberty Dime

What It Is

The 1872-CC dime is a Seated Liberty dime struck during the Carson City Mint's second year of dime production. Like its 1871-CC predecessor, it had a small original mintage and is considered a key date within the series, one of a run of low-mintage Carson City dimes produced in the mint's earliest years of operation.

Obverse Design

Liberty sits on a rock, holding a liberty-cap-topped pole and a shield inscribed LIBERTY, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the border and the date below, part of the "Legend" obverse design used from 1860 onward in place of the earlier ring of stars.

Reverse Design

The reverse reads "ONE DIME" within a wreath, with the "CC" mint mark in small letters at the base of the wreath, the same general placement used on all Carson City Seated Liberty dimes.

Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge

The coin measures about 17.9mm in diameter and weighs approximately 2.67 grams in a silver alloy, with a reeded edge and no edge lettering.

Mint Marks

The "CC" mint mark below the wreath identifies Carson City production, distinguishing it from the Philadelphia strikes of the same date, which carry no mint mark, and from any San Francisco strikes, which would show an "S" instead.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

Checking the mint mark is essential, since 1872 dimes were struck at more than one facility. Reading the date carefully also separates this issue from the similarly rare 1871-CC and 1873-CC dimes, which share the same general design, and comparing the overall strike quality to known genuine examples can help confirm consistency with authentic Carson City production of the period.

Judging Condition at a Glance

Wear first shows on Liberty's knee, breast, and head, and on the wreath ribbon on the reverse. Given the low original mintage, most surviving examples show real circulation wear, and coins with clear, legible design elements are considered desirable for the grade, while examples retaining sharp rims and a fully readable date are especially notable.

Authenticity Red Flags

Because of its rarity and value, the 1872-CC dime is sometimes imitated by adding a fake CC mint mark to a more common Philadelphia dime of the same date. Examine the mint mark under magnification for the correct size, font, and placement compared with verified genuine coins, and look for signs of tooling, filing, or an inconsistent surface around the letters. Certification from a recognized grading service is advisable given the value involved, since it provides an independent, expert check that a casual visual inspection cannot fully replace.