1873 $3 CLOSED 3

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Sold on Feb 23, 2001 for:

$6,900.00 Bid Source: Internet bidder

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Choice AU 1873 Closed 3 Three Dollar, An Issue With an Unknown Mintage

1873 $3 Closed 3 AU 55 PCGS. Since the 2001 Guide Book does not list a mintage figure for this three dollar gold issue, the importance of the present offering should be obvious even to beginning collectors. The history of this issue is not known with certainty, but Breen offers a possible scenario in his 1988 Encyclopedia. The author states that original 1873 proof sets contained three dollar gold pieces with an Open 3 in the date. As these sets were assembled early in the year, and the other coins in the sets displayed a Closed 3 in the date, it seems likely that no Closed 3 three dollar gold pieces were produced in 1873. Some examples were struck from obverse dies that date to 1879, and these pieces are most certainly restrikes. Other coins, however, do not match the diagnostics of these restrikes. Since most known 1873 Closed 3 three dollar gold pieces grade Fine-XF, it is probable that the Philadelphia Mint delivered an unknown, yet presumably limited delivery of business strikes early in 1873.
An appealing coin for the grade, the surfaces are semi-prooflike beneath a light overlay of haziness. The number of small abrasions is minimal for a circulated gold coin, and the striking definition is bold everywhere except over the lower reverse wreath. A seldom offered representative of an issue that begs for further study.

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25MW, PCGS# 7995, GSID# 8646)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 5.02 grams
AGW: 0.14511oz

View Certification Details from PCGS