1
265
bid online at
(800) 978-COIN (2646)
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Session Four - Tuesday, June 3, 2014 6:00 PM
1773
1867
.
NGC graded AU-58
. A hint of light tone with reflective
surfaces and much mint glitter still present. Well struck on the
main devices. The chief weak point on almost all dates in this
ephemeral series (1854-89) is the ribbon that ties to two halves
of the wreath together. The bow knot tends to be indistinct on
most. Still, 1867 is up there among the scarcest years with only
2,600 struck. Business strikes were delivered on January 24,
1867. Apparently there was no further call for the denomina-
tion. The date logotype is deeply punched into the die, produc-
ing a bold image.
Pop 45; 27 finer at NGC.
(
PCGS # 7988
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$2,500 - 2,600
L
OVELY
1868 $3 G
OLD
Enlargement
1774
1868
.
PCGS graded MS-63
. Lovely rich golden toning.
Only 4,850 minted. Effusive, or even overgenerous mint
frost in amounts so that confirms this coin borders on a
possibly higher grade; and warm flaxen-gold to orange-
gold color. Clockwork precision seen in the strike, though
with minor flatness on the wreath bow. A small mark is
noted above the first 8 of the date.
The handsome Longacre first “cereal wreath” which is used
on the flying eagle cents, the gold dollars (type 2 and 3) as
well as this $3 gold, is comprised of corn, wheat, cotton
and tobacco. Longacre’s second wreath, used on numerous
pattern coins as well as the half dimes and dimes during his
tenure in office, is comprised of cotton, tobacco, sugar
cane, corn, wheat and oak leaves. This is the first design of
a cereal wreath created by the Mint’s chief engraver, 1844-
69. James Longacre passed away the year after this $3
gold piece was issued.
Pop 22; 21 finer, 14 in 64, 5 in
65, 2 in 66
. (
PCGS # 7989
)
Estimated Value ........................................ $8,000 - 8,500
1775
1868 PCGS graded Genuine Fine Details
. Ex-Jewelry. Only
4,850 minted. Cleaned. (
PCGS # 7989
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $450 - 500
1776
1869 PCGS graded Genuine AU Details
. Scratch. Only
2,500 minted. Some obverse scratches are evident. A coin
issued during one of the most hectic years on record. First,
there was a nearly successful attempt to corner the New York
gold market by crafty speculators which confounded money
men world-wide; then, too, the first cross-country railroad link
was completed with the pounding-in of the golden spike at
Promontory, Utah to similar world-wide news coverage. It is
interesting to note that the mintage of gold at the San Francisco
Mint continued fairly substantial compared to that of Philadel-
phia during the decade of the Civil War. One reason for this
divergence was that the East was recovering from the devastat-
ing effects of the War while things were "business as usual" on
the West Coast. As this 1869 $3 coin demonstrates, gold was in
circulation in some areas, and apparently for a long time since it
sustained a light amount of wear suggesting a few years in cir-
culation. If only it could speak; if only it could tell the tale of its
years in the business center of the country, the Eastern Sea-
board. (
PCGS # 7990
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $500 - 550
1777
1870 PCGS graded Genuine AU Details
. Scratch. Reflective
fields. Only 3,500 minted. Another scarce year in this series that
produced many low mintage issues. (
PCGS # 7991
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $500 - 550
1778
1871
.
PCGS graded EF-45
. Lightly toned. Only 1,300 struck.
Discounting the gold content, this choice 1871 $3 has a very
low collector premium given its minuscule coinage number!
(
PCGS # 7993
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$1,300 - 1,400
