264
|
$3 Gold
1765
1860-S PCGS graded Genuine AU Details
. Polished. Only
7,000 minted. Untoned and reflective from the cleaning. (
PCGS
# 7981
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $600 - 650
1766
1861
.
PCGS graded AU-55
. A lustrous, untoned example.
Only 5,959 struck. Scarce in all grades per the census report:
Pop 40; 80 finer at PCGS.
(
PCGS # 7982
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$2,800 - 3,000
1767
1862 PCGS graded Genuine AU Details
. Cleaning. Only
5,750 minted. A hint of gold tone. (
PCGS # 7983
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $500 - 550
1768
1863 PCGS graded Genuine AU Details
. Smoothed. Only
5,000 minted. A hint of light tone. (
PCGS # 7984
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $600 - 700
1769
1864. NGC graded AU Details, Improperly Cleaned
.
Mostly untoned. Only 2,630 struck. The 1860s decade saw lim-
ited gold issuance other than the double eagle denomination
(used extensively for import payments). Civil War intervened in
1861-65. That, and the consequences of unbacked Legal Tender
paper money issues drove gold and silver into hoards, to be
replaced by shinplasters, tokens, and Fractional notes along
with the Legal Tender or "greenback" currency flood. (
PCGS #
7985
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $600 - 650
1770
1865
.
NGC graded AU-55
. Lovely golden toning with reflec-
tive surfaces. Only 1,140 struck. A rarity in all grades, this has a
certain pizzazz from having been extracted from circulation
before it became heavily worn and abraded. A choice coin for
the rarities connoisseur!
Pop 11; 44 finer at NGC.
(
PCGS #
7986
)
Historic note: The $3 gold piece was approved by the Act of
February 21, 1853, a central piece of legislation from a numis-
matic angle, and an act which also involved the silver coinage,
namely the cut in weight of the half dime, dime, quarter, and
half dollar, and the addition of arrows at the side of the date to
denote the new standard. Whether or not the $3 denomination
was necessary or worthwhile has been a subject of discussion
among coin collectors for well over a century. At the time of its
launch in 1854, the $3 had as a close rival -- the long running
$2.50 quarter eagle.
Estimated Value ..............................................$4,500 - 5,000
1771
1866
.
PCGS graded MS-61
. Light gold toning. Only 4,000
minted. Lustrous and original quality. Each side has a beaming
reddish-gold color that is surrounded by a nice margin of frosti-
ness. Struck with care throughout the designs and legends. A
scarce 1866 issue.
Pop 9; 28 finer
. (
PCGS # 7987
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$4,000 - 4,400
1772
1866. NGC graded AU Details, Improperly Cleaned
. Light
gold tone. Only 4,000 struck. Another elusive 1860s decade
coin, though under the shadow of its 1865 counterpart, still and
all well worth considering.
The date logotype this year was made by punching the final 6
deeper into the die than the first 6, giving the final 6 a some-
what larger appearance, although the same punch was used
when the logotype was made. On the present die, the digit 1 is
especially prominent, probably indicating that the punch was
not evenly applied into the working die. Other technicalities
could be studied. (
PCGS # 7987
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $700 - 750
