This lovely 1878-CC dime crossed the auction block as lot #11111 in the celebrated Battle Born sale conducted by Stack’s Bowers in Philadelphia on August 9, 2012. The auction company’s sticker that designates this piece as the 111th, and final, lot sold on that historic night is still attached to the NGC slab.

The coin itself is stunning with its semi-prooflike fields, its razor-sharp details, and its light crimson-auburn toning. Numerous raised die-polish lines are seen striating across the surfaces on both sides. The coining crew at the Carson City Mint seem to have polished the reverse die heavily, as this side of the coin is literally covered from edge to edge with horizontal raised lines in the fields.

Scattered, small contact marks intersect with the die-polish lines, mostly on the obverse; but don’t detract in any way from this dime’s high-end appearance. The graders at NGC correctly added the Star ★ designation to emphasize the coin’s superior state of preservation.