A town coined Carson City

By Andrew Pridgen

Mint offers events celebrating National Coin Week

Even during the most difficult economic times, someone’s making money.

This adage couldn’t be more true, both literally and figuratively, than it is this week in Carson City. As area numismatists are already well aware, this is National Coin Week.

Whether you’re looking through loose change for a newly minted Nevada state quarter or you’re Rusty Goe, owner of Reno-based Southgate Coins - who last week purchased an 1871 gold piece from the Carson City mint for $414,000, this week is literally one for the books for coin collectors.

“I think it’s a (hobby) that’s really starting to pick up a lot of new enthusiasts,” Goe said. “We have just a wide variety of customers. We have children on a budget, and we stock items to get kids started. And we have long-time collectors who have coins worth tens, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

No matter the collector’s experience level, Goe said, one lesson is learned quickly for Northern Nevada hobbyists.

“Carson City is more than a special place,” he said. “For many, it’s the epicenter of their coin world.”

The Carson City Mint’s Coin Press No. 1 operated continuously from 1870-85 and again from 1889-93, according to the Nevada State Museum. It has also operated on a limited basis over the years, producing coins for three years beginning in 1964, and was again pressed into service to make bicentennial medals in 1976, according to the museum.