Annual Carson City Mint Coin Show scheduled for this weekend

The Nevada State Museum in Carson City will once again host the Carson City Mint Coin Show on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Nearly 40 dealers from Nevada, Idaho, California, Oregon, Utah, Texas and Florida will be at this year's show, offering collectibles such as Carson City silver dollars, rare domestic and foreign coins, paper notes, historical papers, medals, tokens, jewelry, and other collectible and gift items.

Many of the dealers will offer free appraisals and coins are bought and sold during the show.

"If you have old coins or currency lying around the house and are wondering if they are worth anything, this will be the perfect opportunity to bring them to the museum and talk directly with coin experts," said Greg Corbin, who is coordinating the coin show.

The silver and bronze Carson City Millennium Commemorative Coins commissioned by the Carson City Millennium Committee will be available for purchase. The silver medallion was designed by local artist Carol Foldvary-Anderson and bears the famous "CC" mint mark.

Carson High School student Kaleb Temple designed the bronze medallion. The coin show represents one of the last opportunities to buy the one-of-a-kind commemorative coins, Corbin said.

Attendees will also be able to watch the original Coin Press No. 1 striking "CC" mint marked silver medallions, which are sold through the Museum Store.

Drop-hammer demonstrations will take place. The Lions Club of Carson City will provide a barbecue of hamburgers, hot dogs and soft drinks. Proceeds go toward charities.

The U.S. Branch Mint in Carson City operated from 1870 to 1893 and produced $50 million worth of gold and silver coins, all bearing the "CC" mint mark.

By far the most famous coin is the "CC" Silver Dollar, made more valuable than dollars struck at other mints because the Carson City Mint operated for only 23 years.

When the mint closed, citizens successfully appealed to the Legislature for funds to acquire the old building for a museum. The Nevada State Museum opened to the public on Nevada Day 1941.

The Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven days a week at 600 North Carson Street. Exhibits include the USS Nevada silver service, the Dat So La Lee basket collection, earth science and history galleries, a western ghost town, an underground mine tour, and America's largest exhibited imperial mammoth.

The current changing exhibit, Beyond Tonopah, highlights the renaissance of mining in Nevada 100 years ago.

Free history lectures take place the second Thursday of the month. Call (775) 687-4810 or check the Web site at dmla.clan.lib.nv.us (click on Museums Division).