The Seated Liberty Twenty Cent Piece was struck for circulation during only two years from 1875 to 1876, followed by an additional two years of proof-only issues from 1877 to 1878.
Production of circulating coins took place at the Philadelphia, Carson City, and San Francisco Mint facilities. While the mintage for most issues was limited, in 1875 the San Francisco Mint struck 1,155,000 pieces. This issue alone accounts for approximately 80% of the total mintage of the denomination.
The lowest mintage issue for the series is the 1876-CC Twenty Cent Piece with 10,000 pieces reported struck, although none of these were ever released for circulation. At the time, Mint Director Linderman had instructed the superintendent of the Carson City Mint to melt the entire production run. Somehow a few examples managed to escape the melting pot, creating a rarity with less than 20 pieces known to exist.
| Date | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1875 | 38,500 |
| 1875-CC | 133,290 |
| 1875-S | 1,155,000 |
| 1876 | 14,400 |
| 1876-CC | 10,000 |
| 1877 | Proof Only |
| 1878 | Proof Only |
