Lot 839
THE FINEST KNOWN 1863 $3 GOLD PIECE. NGC graded MS-68 Phenominal! Wow, what a coin! If you have ever wondered what a nearly perfect coin looked like, then take a look. PCGS and NGC have only graded 3 coins this high for the entire series. Curiously, the NGC Population Report shows 2 graded this high of this date, which may be someone attempting to get an even higher grade on this same coin, but we can't be sure.
The surfaces defy description, they approach perfection in every way. One notes the faint roller lines from the planchet preparation process, but Liberty's full cheek is as pristine as the day it was struck. There is a tiny hidden tick mark on Liberty's eyebrow, while the reverse is virtually perfect. The strike is sharp, with minor weakness noted on the lower portion of the wreath, and curious clash marks (at least two sets) are visible on both the obverse and reverse dies in the fields. Clash marks are caused when the dies strike each other without a planchet between them, leaving part of the image from the dies on the highest point of the opposing die, the fields.
Only 5000 were struck in 1863 as the nation focused on the disastrous battles in the south and east. Few of these were saved, today most are found in circulated grades, and precious few are known in Uncirculated condition. If you want the best of the best, the best of the series, then here is the coin for you.
Estimated Value $40,000 - 50,000.
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| Realized $44,850 |
