1857-S $3.00 PCGS AU58 CAC

The San Francisco Three Dollar gold pieces were made in limited quantity and these were not saved by collectors. Of the 14,000 examples struck in 1857 at this mint, a few hundred survive but most are well worn and this is an extremely rare issue in Uncirculated with no more than three or four known. In the lower AU grades, the 1857-S is slightly scarce but it is rare in properly graded AU55 to AU58. In fact, PCGS has a current population of just seven in AU58 with a single example better. This piece is very lustrous with nice light yellow-gold color. A small amount of wear is limited to the high spots of the obverse and the surfaces lack the abundant marks that characterize the issue. The last PCGS AU58 example to sell at auction was ANR 3/05: 618 (which brought $14,950) and before this, a PCGS AU58 sold in the October 1999 Bass II sale. This means that only two (count 'em, two...) examples in PCGS have sold at auction in the last thirteen years. CAC has approved just two 1857-S Three Dollar gold pieces in AU58 and none in grades higher than this. If Three Dollar gold pieces were just a bit more popular than they are currently are, I could see this being a $20,000 coin. As it is, a great value and an important pierce for the specialist.