Historic reunion of coins inside the Carson City mint

A Reno coin collector brought the only two Carson City-minted coins the Nevada State Museum does not have in its collection to the former mint building Saturday during the museum's annual coin show.

The museum collection, kept in a vault, is worth about $1 million. The two coins brought by Rusty Goe of Southgate Coins are worth about $1.5 million.

"So when we bring these two coins into that room we'll have about $2.5 million dollars worth of coins," Goe said.

He held them up to the museum's 109-coin "CC" collection, showing where they fit in. He bought the 1873 CC "without arrows" dime in July for $891,250.

"It's the only one in existence in the world," he said. "This will never happen again."

The other is a 1873-CC "without arrows" quarter - one of only five known to exist.

It was the first time in 131 years that a complete "CC" collection was brought together in the very room where they were created.

"When I was holding (the dime) up in front of the press on which it was made, I was shaking a bit," Goe said. "I felt my cheek twitch."

The machine, Carson City Mint's Press No. 1, was in action Saturday stamping replicas of an 1889 Morgan silver dollar as well as medallions.

A crowd gathered as Goe held his prized coin in front of the press. Capital Police officers kept a watchful eye. The coin had been part of the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. collection for many years.

"Just getting the dang thing back to Nevada - just getting it back in the museum - was to me the ultimate goal," Goe said. "I'm really glad about what happened today."

Goe's 536-page book, "The Mint on Carson Street" was published in January. The book is a tribute to the Carson City mint and a guide to "CC" coins. He signed copies for collectors Saturday.

Being a dealer, not a collector, he doesn't plan to keep the prized dime for long.

"But this one I do want to savor for a while," he said. "It doesn't get any better than this. For a Carson City enthusiast nothing compares to buying the 1873 CC without arrows dime."

The arrows signify when a higher content of silver was used in the coins. About 12,400 1873 CC without arrows dimes were minted but most were melted down after the 1873 Coinage Act. Goe said he won't let the dime go for less than $1.5 million.

The high-value coin attracted larger crowds to the annual show, a fund-raiser for the museum. Another draw was the 1877 CC quarter Goe put into circulation in Carson City. He gave a $300 reward to the man who found it, Richard Labahn.

"We've been really busy at this show," said Melanie Potkay of Northern Nevada Coins. "The Reno show was quiet. It was dead. I was sitting most of the time."

There are 40 vendors at the show, which continues today. Goe's two high-value coins will not be on display today.

Food was available on the square between the museum's two buildings, along with music by bluesman Bobby Joe Holman.

Gold panning was offered Saturday by museum exhibits manager Ray Geiser.

"The kids are having a great time," he said. "It's real educational."

Contact Karl Horeis at khoreis@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.