Owner Comments:
1894 is a key date for the Dinero series and is rarely offered. Perhaps equal in rarity to the 1872 overall but less difficult than the 1888. Exceedingly rare in true mint state, and impossible in Gem.
Flatt reports a "plain date" and has a blurry photo of said coin, but did not personally own one. It would seem most of the extant 1894's are overdates. Krause does not list a plain date. The overdate is obvious and easy to see, even without a loupe.
NGC has one in Fine Details, one in AU 58, one in MS 62, and one in MS 63. Given the high catalog value for this coin, yet paltry amount of coins slabbed, it can be concluded that is is a truly difficult date to find in high grades.
Due to the rarity and infrequency of this date being seen on the market, I will note that I paid $375 in a private transaction for this coin. The Whittier example in MS 63 sold for $161 in June 2006 on Heritage. Most coins sold in that sale have doubled or more in price since 2006. The nascent market for certified Peru was not well established at the time. Still, very cheap. I have seen two other raw mint state examples, one that sold on ebay in 2010, the other in a Peru collection.
The set specimen is a sharply struck bright white coin. A couple minor marks define the grade. Only one better in MS 63. I know the whereabouts of the 63, and it has been removed from the holder, leaving just my coin as the only Uncirculated 1894/3 in a holder currently.