1854-D $3
1854-D $3 AU58 NGC. Variety 1-A. The three dollar gold denomination was introduced in 1854 and the Dahlonega Mint struck a minuscule production of just 1,120 pieces of the issue. This was the only year the famous Southern mint struck any three dollar gold pieces, an important consideration for branch mint type collectors. The small mintage was released into circulation at the time of issue and few high-quality examples were saved for numismatic purposes. There were few collectors living in the Dahlonega area and there was little numismatic interest in mintmarked issues in general, before Augustus Heaton published his ground breaking treatise on the subject in 1893. As a result, the coins circulated heavily in the regional economy until the Civil War, suffering much loss and attrition along the way. Widespread hoarding of all precious-metal coinage during the war years may have preserved some examples, but many more were melted or exported, making the issue decidedly elusive in later years. Experts believe fewer than 160 examples survive today in all grades, with most examples seen in the VF to AU grade range. Mint State examples are rare. NGC and PCGS have combined to certify 13 coins in all Mint State grades, with the two finest certified as MS62, but even that small total has been inflated by resubmissions and crossovers (3/24). The 1854-D began appearing at auction in the 19th century, with an early appearance in lot 334 of the Albert S. Jewell Collection (S.H. & H. Chapman, 12/1897): {blockquote}"1854 $3 Dahlonega Georgia Mint. Very fine. Extremely rare. Probably not over six known."{/blockquote} The lot realized a strong price of $25.00. Of course, more examples have surfaced over the years, but collector demand for the issue has also increased exponentially, resulting in much higher prices along the way. Recent sales include the AU58 PCGS example from the Harry Bass Core Collection that realized $192,000 in a Heritage auction in January 2023. This impressive near-Mint specimen exhibits just a trace of friction on the high points of the design elements, but the strike is much better than average for this issue. Much interior detail on the headdress remains intact. The dentilation is weak, as always seen, and some detail has been lost on the ribbon bow and the leaf to the left of the 1 in the date, due to lapping. The pleasing orange-gold surfaces are lightly abraded and the overall presentation is most attractive. This coin will be a welcome addition to a fine collection of three dollar gold. Census: 21 in 58, 9 finer (3/24). From The Dinosaur Collection. HID10510052018 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
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1854-D $3 AU58 NGC. Variety 1-A. The three dollar gold denomination was introduced in 1854 and the Dahlonega Mint struck a minuscule production of just 1,120 pieces of the issue. This was the only year the famous Southern mint struck any three dollar gold pieces, an important consideration for branch mint type collectors. The small mintage was released into circulation at the time of issue and few high-quality examples were saved for numismatic purposes. There were few collectors living in the Dahlonega area and there was little numismatic interest in mintmarked issues in general, before Augustus Heaton published his ground breaking treatise on the subject in 1893. As a result, the coins circulated heavily in the regional economy until the Civil War, suffering much loss and attrition along the way. Widespread hoarding of all precious-metal coinage during the war years may have preserved some examples, but many more were melted or exported, making the issue decidedly elusive in later years. Experts believe fewer than 160 examples survive today in all grades, with most examples seen in the VF to AU grade range. Mint State examples are rare. NGC and PCGS have combined to certify 13 coins in all Mint State grades, with the two finest certified as MS62, but even that small total has been inflated by resubmissions and crossovers (3/24). The 1854-D began appearing at auction in the 19th century, with an early appearance in lot 334 of the Albert S. Jewell Collection (S.H. & H. Chapman, 12/1897): {blockquote}"1854 $3 Dahlonega Georgia Mint. Very fine. Extremely rare. Probably not over six known."{/blockquote} The lot realized a strong price of $25.00. Of course, more examples have surfaced over the years, but collector demand for the issue has also increased exponentially, resulting in much higher prices along the way. Recent sales include the AU58 PCGS example from the Harry Bass Core Collection that realized $192,000 in a Heritage auction in January 2023. This impressive near-Mint specimen exhibits just a trace of friction on the high points of the design elements, but the strike is much better than average for this issue. Much interior detail on the headdress remains intact. The dentilation is weak, as always seen, and some detail has been lost on the ribbon bow and the leaf to the left of the 1 in the date, due to lapping. The pleasing orange-gold surfaces are lightly abraded and the overall presentation is most attractive. This coin will be a welcome addition to a fine collection of three dollar gold. Census: 21 in 58, 9 finer (3/24). From The Dinosaur Collection. HID10510052018 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
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