Obsolete US coinage that circulated in commerce
Three cent silver Authorized for US coinage in 1851 with the first coins dated 1851 and produced thru 1873.

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Coin Details

Origin/Country: United States
Design Description: THREE-CENT PIECES - SILVER
Item Description: 3CS 1861
Full Grade: NGC AU 53
Owner: Coinbuf

Set Details

Custom Sets: Obsolete US coinage that circulated in commerce
US Mint products one per decade 1790 to current
Competitive Sets: History Spent   Score: 384
US Type Set, 1792-1964   Score: 384
Coinbuf's US type   Score: 384
Coin types when US coinage was represented by beautiful designs   Score: 384
Coinbuf's basic type set   Score: 384
The Accident Set of Type Coins   Score: 384
Research: NGC Coin Explorer NGC Coin Price Guide
NGC US Coin Census for Silver Three Cents (1851-1873)

Owner Comments:

This was the first US mint production coin that did not have the image of Miss Liberty on the coin. Part of the need for this unusual denomination was to facilitate the purchase of a US mail stamp which was reduced from 5 cents to 3 cents in 1851.

During the years of production, the mint changed the design twice. In 1854 three lines were added to outline the six-sided star on the obverse design. And on the reverse an olive sprig was added over the III numeral and a bundle of three arrows placed under the III numeral. These coins are tiny, it must have be so easy to lose these tiny coins. Collectors and dealers have given this issue a few nicknames, I have heard these called "fishscales" and "trimes" many times.

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