1885
$3 GOLD PCGS MS63 Click on Coin Image to
enlarge
1885
$3 Gold PCGS MS63- $13,800.00
1885 $3 PCGS
MS63. The 1885 three-dollar gold piece had an original
mintage of only 801 pieces. It is fundamentally rare
in all grades. In its population report, PCGS shows
16 in MS63 condition. These numbers do not account
for crossovers or resubmissions.
The market for rare numismatics
of high quality is very healthy and growing. This
specimen of the rare 1885 $3.00 gold would work in
a complete set of $3.00 gold (under 2M for a quality
set, figure 2 years to complete, including the proofs),
a type set of gold coins, a box of twenty* or just
as a good gold coin to own.
Please contact me by email
or telephone 1-941-291-2156
to reserve this great coin.
This low mintage, Mint State 1885
Three Dollar Gold piece has exceptionally clean and
original surfaces. Subdued mint luster is present
within the devices. The strike is above average with
details on most of the feather tips, Liberty’s
hair, and the wreath details. The two central numerals
of the date are strong. According to Breen the same
obverse die was used to make proofs for this date.
The Indian Princess motif was created
by James B. Longacre. He had to make a design for the
three dollar gold coin that would be distinctly different
from the quarter and half eagle coronet designs. The
design, similar to his gold dollar Large Head, shows
a head of Liberty facing left in profile wearing a stylized
headdress. Inscribed on the headband is LIBERTY. She
is surrounded by the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
In using the Indian Princess design, Longacre felt that
he was creating something that was uniquely American
rather than an adoption from the classics. The reverse
of the piece shows an open wreath of corn, cotton, wheat,
and tobacco tied at the bottom with a bow. The denomination
3 appears at the top center of the wreath, with DOLLARS
and the date below within the wreath. Longacre liked
the wreath design so much that he adopted it for use
on the small cent of 1856.
In 1851 a law was passed that authorized
a three-cent piece and also made the postage rate
three cents. Two years later a new law was passed
authorizing a light weight silver three-cent coin
and a three-dollar gold coin. Evidently lawmakers
believed that the gold coin would be useful to buy
rolls of three-cent coins and sheets of stamps. Its
closeness to the quarter eagle, which was widely used,
made the denomination somewhat illogical, and the
public proved indifferent to them.
In 1854 the first and largest mintage
was produced. Many were saved as souvenirs. Others briefly
circulated and ended up being used for jewelry. Only
1854 had smaller letters in DOLLARS. The other dates
all have large letters for the denomination. Mintages
were limited after 1854. The 1873 issue had two varieties,
an open 3, which was the original, and a closed 3. Both
were used for proof coins. In 1872 dies with closed
3s were made for all denominations. Chief Coiner Snowden
complained that the 3 could easily be taken for an 8.
New dies were prepared with open 3s.
