1861 $3.00 PCGS MS62

For many denominations, mintage figures in 1861 at the Philadelphia mint were quite high. But this is not the case with the 1861 Three Dollar as only 5,959 examples were produced. A few hundred examples exist in all grades with most in the EF45 to AU55 range. Nice Uncirculated examples are scarce and this date is rare in MS63 and above. This example is a pleasing light yellow gold with rich, satiny luster. The surfaces show the typical horizontal striations seen on all business strikes of this year but there are no marks of note and the strike is sharp. Last year there were only two MS62 examples of this date sold at auction. One, graded by NGC, brought $9,775 while the other, in a PCGS holder, sold for $9,488. Trends jumps to $16,500 in MS63 which makes this MS62 a good value for the Civil War collector seeking a special 1861 Three Dollar piece for his set.