Do you happen to have an 1854 3-Cent (Regular Strike) in your coin collection? One that belongs to the Series known as the Star Three Cent Silvers 1851-1872. If you have it, look for the PCGS to get an accurate grading.
The 3-cent coin we are going to deal with today is PCGS MS68. The mint where it was struck was the one in Philadelphia. As for the diameter, it is just about 14.30 millimeters, so you can have an idea of its size.
How much was this 3-cent coin worth at the auction?
According to Professional Coin Grading Services, it was worth $84,000 in 2021 and it was Heritage Auctions the company in charge of it. This 3-cent specimen was designed by James Barton Longrace.
As for the metal it is made of, it is mostly silver (about 90%) and copper (about 10%). The mintage was 671,000 so there many many 3-cents circulating back in 1854.
Bear in mind that the history of each coin and its pedigree is unique. Some of them reach incredibly high values while others remain at their face value.
Which are the finest examples of these 3-cent coins?
According to PCGS, the finest examples which have been certified by them are 2 specimens at the MS67 level. For your information, fully struck 3-cents are actually rare.
What is more, clashmarks are often seen. More often than not, the Mint State grade is MS-64. However, there are some examples at MS-65 level. So, if you are looking for one, it may not be so difficult.
One last piece of information about this 3-cent from 1854 is the fact that the mint made 2 important changes during that year. These silver pieces had to comply with the Coinage Act of 1853, so the amount of silver had to be increases up to 90% and 2 outlines were included around the star.