United States: 1875 silver 20-cent piece PCGS XF45. Cert. #58448856. Numista-18403, Krause-Mishler-109. Mintage: 38,500. Ex-Stacks Bowers Galleries Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction, Lot 7741, 11 September 2026. Purchased in the slab. Prior provenance to the John P. Burnham Collection. The short-lived United States 20-cent piece was struck for only four years, from 1875 to 1878, and the final two years (1877 and 1878) were issued only in proof format for collectors. By far the majority of them were struck in 1875, at three mints. This type was introduced to alleviate a shortage of small change in the Western states. The 20-cent piece proved unpopular because it was too easily confused with the quarter, despite being slightly smaller and with a smooth rather than reeded edge. While the design of the 20-cent piece and the Seated Liberty quarter of the era were not identical, they were indeed rather similar. This coin was one of only 38,500 pieces struck at the Philadelphia mint in 1875. Because they were mostly used out West, more 1875 20-cent pieces were struck at San Francisco (1,155,000) and Carson City (133,290) than at Philadelphia. This means that by mintage, this 1875 no-mintmark coin from Philadelphia is about 30 times scarcer than the 1875-S and nearly 3.5 times scarcer than the 1875-CC. The 1875-CC does fetch higher prices, however, likely due to the popularity of Carson City coins. 063150
Nice. I got one in change back in the mid fifties. 1875-S. I recently passed it on to my son who was born in 1975.
Wow! I think I recall you telling that story before. That tops my father's stories of finding Flying Eagle cents and Shield nickels in change in the 1950s.
I actually think your odds of finding a gold coin on the East coast are better than those of finding a 20-cent piece! They just didn't circulate much on our side of the country. But since you're in NYC and that has been a major metropolis for centuries, who knows? It could happen.
