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Message:: [QUOTE="Burton Strauss III, post: 2319340, member: 59677"]Yes, it's a US 3 cent silver (3CS is the common abbreviation). They were known as 'fish scales' or trimes and are the smallest (14mm) US Silver coin ever minted (the 13mm gold dollar is the smallest). These two are the thinnest and lightest also. They were first issued at the same time as the postage letter rate was dropped to 3c, so the coin allowed people to purchase postage stamps. Your coin is a Type 1, so 1851-1853. The type 1s were minted in a unique, 75% silver alloy. And were legal tender only up to $3. The law called for a unique design, hence the star obverse and the Roman numeral III + letter C reverse. In 1851 there were just under 5.45 million minted, 11.6m in 1852 and 11.4 million in 1853. There were also 720K minted in New Orleans (the only branch mint mintage), but yours is not one - even in About Good, Fair or Poor, the O on the reverse is clearly visible. After 1853 mintages dropped significantly - the need had been met. In 1854 the silver content was changed to standard 0.900 fine silver and the weight slightly reduced. Two lines thin were added around the star. In 1859 that was reduced to one thin line. The 1863 3CS, although only minted to 343K, can be found and often in decent shape (the coins were issued and immediately taken out of circulation - silver was being hoarded throughout most of the war years. The 1864 and after business strikes are very, very rare. Especially circulated. Although the 3CS was minted in tiny quantities until 1872 (last year of the business strikes). And proof only in 1873. In 1873 the mint melted large #s of 'left over' coins, which appears to have hit the 3CS hard. For use by the public, in 1865 a 3 cent copper-nickel coin (3CN) was introduced. Over 11 million were minted, subsequent mintages dropped off. This coin, with no silver content is a little bigger and heavier.[/QUOTE]

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