1854-O Three Dollar Gold - 1854-O $3 NGC AU53. This Southern branch mint, 1854-O Three Dollar Gold piece has some subdued mint luster remaining within its devices. This 1854-O Three Dollar Gold shows a strong obverse strike with full details remaining on some of the feather tips and hair below LIBERTY. The reverse is strong on the wreath details, the denomination, and the ribbon knot. The central numerals of the date are weak, which is typical for this mint. A touch of wear on the highest points keeps this piece from a near-Gem grade. The surfaces are original and clean for the grade with no notable individual marks worthy of description.

The New Orleans Mint was authorized in 1835 by President Andrew Jackson, hero of the battle of New Orleans. The bill that Jackson signed also authorized the mints at Charlotte and Dahlonega. William Strickland, a Philadelphia architect designed all three branch mint buildings. The New Orleans Mint building was made in the solid, bulky Greek Revival style of architecture. It was the largest of the three branch mints and located at major port of entry. Unfortunately Strickland did not account for the soft ground around the site. Because of it, the building had to undergo numerous repairs throughout its history.

Authorized to produce gold and silver, the New Orleans Mint struck quarter eagles and dimes in 1839. It operated from 1838 to 1909. In that time period 427 million silver and gold coins with the O mintmark were coined. By the mid 1850s denominations made in New Orleans included three-cent silver pieces, half-dimes, dimes, quarters, half dollars, silver dollars, gold dollars, quarter eagles, three-dollar pieces, half eagles, eagles, and double eagles. The first deposit was of Mexican dollars which amounted to more than 32,400 dollars. The first coins struck were Liberty Seated dimes. Each year between the beginning of August and the end of November, the mint closed because of the annual outbreak of yellow fever.

Gold coinage was made at the New Orleans Mint from 1839 to 1906. Gold dollars were struck from 1849-1853 and in 1855. Quarter eagles were struck from 1839-1840, 1842-1843, 1845-1847, 1850-1852, and 1856-1857. A three dollar gold piece was struck in 1854. The present coin is an example of this date. Half eagles were struck from 1840-1847, 1870-1883, 1888, 1892-1895, 1897, 1899, 1901, 1903-1904, and 1906. Double eagles were struck from 1850-1861 and in 1879.