1873 2C Open 3, BN PR(PCGS#3654)

1873 2C Open 3, BN PR (PCGS#3654)

The January 2013 Americana Sale

Lot Description: 1873 Two-Cent Piece. Open 3. Proof-63 BN (NGC). CAC. OH. Lovely light brown to tan intermixed on the obverse and reverse of this scarce issue. The Open 3 variety was coined soon after the Close 3 variety, as most of the initial dies prepared for coinage showed the 3 with the loops nearly closed, but not quite--thus had the appearance of an 8 instead of 3. This had to be changed by Mint directive in February. New dies were prepared with a more obviously open style 3, to avoid any confusion. Hence many denominations of 1873 exist with both the Close 3 and Open 3 dates. Not many were made of this later Open 3 style and the two-cent denomination was soon put to permanent pasture once these were released. NGC records a mere 113 grading events for this issue in all.