1
267
bid online at
(800) 978-COIN (2646)
|
Session Four - Tuesday, June 3, 2014 6:00 PM
K
EY
D
ATE
1876 $3 G
OLD
Enlargement
1784
1876
.
PCGS graded Proof 55
. Only 45 minted. Popular
key date. Nice golden toning on both sides. The Proof-only
1876 $3 gold piece is made famous by its low mintage and
similarly low survival, once believed as few as 25 to 30
were extant. It is in the good company of several other
extremely rare Proof issues in the $3 series including those
of 1861, 1874, and 1878, but with the proviso that the oth-
ers are not Proof-only dates.
The Garrett-Guth Encyclopedia researchers found that the
1876 $3 Proofs were struck on two occasions, once in Feb-
ruary, totaling 20 coins, and again in June, when another
25 coins were produced. An unknown number of pieces
were also struck at a later date from a different obverse
die. It seems one can never really a handle on the num-
bers, or with speculation about this historic issue. It goes
without question that the 1876 is an tried-and-true rarity,
that much is certain. And it is a date that any collector of
the series will need, well and good. This particular coin has
pleasing gold surfaces and some remaining “depth” of
reflectivity in the fields. Someone likely spent it. Someone
else, noticing its sparkle and golden allure, possibly in a
bank’s coin tray, hauled it back out and stashed it for him-
self or his heirs. By way of contrast, the devices are still
frosted against the reasonably proof-mirrored fields.
Pop
3; 29 finer
. (
PCGS # 8040
)
Estimated Value .................................... $25,000 - 30,000
1785
1877 PCGS graded Genuine AU Details
. Smoothed. Mostly
untoned. Still a nice looking coin with sharp detail and some
luster. Only 1,468 minted. (
PCGS # 7999
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$1,900 - 2,000
1786
1878 PCGS graded Genuine AU Details
. Damage. Reverse
mark. Only 82,304 minted. (
PCGS # 8000
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $500 - 550
1787
1879
.
PCGS graded MS-62 PQ.
CAC Approved
. Only 3,000
struck. Untoned with nice reflective fields. A wonderful coin.
Beginning in 1879 and continuing to the end of the series in
1889, there was a modest investment and speculative interest
by the public in $3 gold coins, and more Mint State pieces were
saved than would have been the case otherwise. However, none
are really common, as the low mintages indicate. (
PCGS #
8001
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$4,000 - 4,250
1788
1880. PCGS graded Genuine, Altered Surface - UNC
Details
. Mostly untoned with semi-reflective fields. A nice look-
ing coin. Only 1,000 struck. (
PCGS # 8002
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$1,600 - 1,700
1789
1881. NGC graded AU Details
. Improperly cleaned. Lovely
golden toning on both sides. Semi reflective surfaces. This year
reached a low point in business strikes: Only 500 struck. A
desirable date. (
PCGS # 8003
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$2,000 - 2,100
1790
1883. NGC graded AU Details
. Improperly cleaned. Highly
toned with reflective surfaces. Later business strike $3 issues
are scarce as a rule, with only 1887-89 being comparatively
common. The 1883 is one of three dates with 1881 and 1885
where production never made it to one thousand coins. Desir-
able as such. Only 900 struck. (
PCGS # 8005
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $700 - 750
1791
1884. NGC graded UNC Details
. Improperly cleaned. Lightly
toned with nice reflective surfaces. A nice looking coin. Only
1,000 struck. (
PCGS # 8006
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$1,000 - 1,100
