March 26, 1964 marked the end of the Great Treasury Hoard release when it was decided to halt further distribution, after which it was discovered that a majority the remaining bags of silver dollars were from the Carson City mint. These were recognized as having a premium above their nominal face value. The law authorizing the sale by the general services administration was signed on December 31, 1970. The transfer, sorting, and packaging of the 2,937,695 coins took place starting in March of 1972, taking up most of the rest of the year. There were a total of 7 sales, 5 between 1972 and 1974 and 2 in 1980. These were conducted in a mail bid style with a minimum starting price, if the coins sold out the bids were averaged and the price established using that number. If not, they were delivered at the minimum bid.The bids ranged from $3.00 for the mixed circulated category to $300.00 for the 1879-CC uncirculated category. There were 97,591 coins in the mixed circulated category that included 13,426 1878-cc that did not meet the uncirculated standard, issued in a soft pliofilm pack in a blue envelope, and 27,980 mixed uncircultaed (non CC) issued in the hard plastic case, and although these numbers included Peace Dollars, to this date no Peace Dollar has ever been reported in a hard case. After the fifth sale in 1974, 978,107 coins remained and 2 sales were held in 1980. All the coins sold, and for the first time since 1794, the US government had no silver dollars in treasury inventory.
1878-CC: $15
1879-CC: $300
1880-CC, 1881-CC, 1885-CC: $60
1882-CC, 1883-CC, 1884-CC, 1890-CC, 1891-CC: $30
Mixed CC: $15
Mixed Uncirculated: $5
Mixed Circulated: $3
