Owner Comments:
1866 $3 Three Dollar,
Judd-543, Pollock-608,
Rarity: High R.7, PR64
Struck in Nickel with Reeded Edge
Obverse/Reverse:
Regular dies of the 3$ Gold Piece
Comment:
An elusive regular dies trial striking after James B. Longacre's adopted design.
With no need for a three dollar gold piece struck in nickel, the half dozen or so pieces that are known were undoubtedly struck for collectors. USPatterns.com notes: "They appear to have been struck on whatever planchets were available. Pollock lists one of the Smithsonian examples at 54.2 grains which is from the same planchet stock used to strike many thin planchet 5 cent nickel patterns of that year. The Byron Reed coin is on an even thinner planchet, 39.5 grains, as opposed to the 36.6 listing in Pollock."
The silver-gray planchet of this piece, while almost totally free from post-minting disturbances, exhibits heavy pitting from die rust on the headdress and more subtle graininess near the base of the wreath and in intermittent areas over the balance of the coin.
Provenance/Appearance :
From The Estate of Charles W. Montgomery Heritage Nov 2023 Dallas / 3281; Prior Ex: Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 6/2004), lot 6419.