Rarity of Chopmarked Coins
The following listing, beginning with the most common (1877-S), is valuable as it indicates which circulated most actively in China and did their intended duty as trade coins. Undoubtedly, a survey taken today would show a different order than given by Epps in 1978, but I believe that the study is still valuable in a relative sense:
1877-S. Most common of all chopmarked trade dollars.
1878-S
1874-S
1874-CC
1874
1875-S Type I reverse
1876-S Type II reverse
1873-S
1875-S Type II reverse
1876-S Type I reverse
1876-CC Type II reverse
1875-CC Type I reverse
1877
1877-CC
1876 Type II reverse
1876 Type I reverse
1876-CC Type I reverse
1875 Type I reverse
1875 Type II reverse
1873-CC
1873
1875-S/CC Type I reverse
1875-CC Type II reverse
1878-CC. Rarest of all chopmarked trade dollars.
Most chopmarked coins are graded in the range of Very Fine to AU. Whether a coin can be called Mint State and be chopmarked is a matter of debate. My view is that as chopmarking was often done by Chinese commercial interests before such coins were placed into general trade channels, it is possible to have a Mint State chopmarked trade dollar.