Well, this is the one I picked out for my US type set. Originally I wanted to get an example that had luster but I found this one to be a bit more interesting. Was sort of drawn to this one. It's the Type III variety and is an 1861. Original mintage: 497,000. Toned with major die clash. You will likely notice that design details from the opposite sides are showing up over top of each other. (Thought I'd take a moment to make this a bit of an educational thread while I was at it. ) This has happened to many coins in the past and is not all that uncommon on these 3 cent pieces. This is called a "die clash". Both dies were accidentally slammed together without a planchet in between, causing both dies to hit each other and transfer design features over to the other. Then when the next planchets are hammered with them, it leaves a partial image of the other side because each die has been deformed. Here's a close up of one particular area: If you look closely, you can see the bottom tip of the star on the obverse has been recreated by the reverse die and just peeks out above the crescent below the outside star. You can also see the star going through the crescent sideways and the shield lines in the III's. On the flip side, you can see the crescent shape just clipping the tip of the obverse star. And the far left olive is indented right next to the edge of the obv. star. On the reverse, the olives are raised features. So when the dies 'clashed' together, the reverse die caused the metal of the obverse die to raise in that area where the olive is. So, when the obverse die stamped another planchet, that now damaged, raised portion on the obverse die, left an "olive indention" in the obverse face. Many people are not familiar with the silver 3 cent piece (including me up to this point.) Some may have never seen one. So here's a size comparison for the archives: As can be seen, the almighty Lincoln cent dwarfs the silver 3 cent piece. Which is probably why this series never really attracted a lot of attention. I have excellent vision but even to my eyes, it's very hard to read the date on one of these without squinting. Let alone notice any of the details. It's just large enough to be able to identify what it is to the naked eye. I believe it is the smallest coin ever minted by the US mint. All silver 3 cent pieces were made to be 14 mm in diameter. From 1851-1853 the weight was 0.80 gram and was 75/25 silver/copper. From 1854-1873 the weight was changed to 0.75 gram and composition was changed to 90/10 silver/copper. Here's where this one stands: 13.95 mm. Just slightly under the spec dia. and the weight was 0.02 grams shy. Which could be because of the diameter shortage or error in the scale. Anyway, it's an acceptable variance. The silver content of the 3 cent piece amounts to a hair over 0.02 troy oz. Which makes the melt value of the legal tender 3 cent piece worth 0.53 cents at the moment. Definitely worth pulling from circulation if you find one! The other interesting aspect is that people today would like to see the US bring back a circulating coin with precious metal in it. Here you have a coin with 0.02 oz of silver in it and it's melt value is still 17.7x face!! No way something this large could circulate again! Well, hope you guys liked this one. I may add more info to it in the coming days. In the mean time, if anybody's got some silver 3 cent pieces, show them off here. Lets see them!
A well written and informative article. I think I have 1 or 2 of the silver trimes and I'd be happy to post photographs of them if I could figure out how to download the photos into this thread! I'll see what I can do. Thanks for your time and invaluable coin facts.
Very nice coin, and informative thread. I am hoping to someday aquire one of these also for my type set. I don't think it's possible to complete a set on my income!
Nice read and beautiful coin. I just have a type two & I have a 3c Nickel with some die clashing. I find die clashes interesting.
Nice looking 3c silver! I was amazed myself with how small these really are - and how THIN - when I got mine. It almost feels like it would float down like a feather if you dropped it. I have an 1853 in my 7070 - I will see if I can dig up a picture later... Ken
What I find quite amazing is the possibility odf still finding one of these in circulation, lovely coin and great write up on it as well :thumb:
Great post, and great coin! I love the 3 cent silver pieces. Has anyone actually found one in circulation recently? My cheapest acquisition was from a dealer's pocket piece bin...so worth it.
Nice find. I actually put two into circulation last year. One had rim damage and the other was AG . I'll never forget the look on the clerks face when I gave em up . Priceless !
Thanks. I was actually kidding on the idea of finding one in circulation. I suppose one could accidentally be in with a roll of dimes somewhere but a $5 gold piece could too. The earlier year mintages were a bit higher going over the one million mark six times. It's easier to find a high grade 1851 than an 1863 for example. Gradually, the idea of (at least these types of) the 3 cent piece started losing steam and mintages dropped in the late 50s through the end of their run. I've read that almost the entire mintage of the non-proof, silver 3 cents from 1863 through 1873 were melted down. They were low mintage, are very scarce, seldom seen and command much higher prices. Interestingly the original demand for 3 cent pieces in the 1850s, was caused by the price of a stamp being lowered from 5 cents to 3 cents. And also that much of the more valuable silver coins at the time were being hoarded or exported as the years went on. Especially during the Civil war. But the 3 cent piece apparently was so small and insignificant that it circulated freely during that time. They also left off a reeded edge on them for the first time on any silver coin which supposedly signified it's lesser stature. It was called the trime, but most of the public at the time called these tiny pieces "fish scales". James B Longacre was the designer of the 3c silver and the 3c nickel. He also designed the Flying Eagle cent, Indian head cent,Shield nickel, $1 gold and the $20 Liberty gold piece.
I'll have to peruse through my copy of Walter Breen's "Complete Encyclopedia of US and Colonial Coins" to see if I can't find any info you didn't cover (doubt I will, very nice info packed article you wrote there Vess!). Until I have the time, I'll just throw up a couple pics of my favorite 3cS.
