1874 $3 MS(PCGS#7998)

The June 2011 Baltimore Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

9399

Grade

G4

Price

403

Lot Description

1874 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. Good-4 (PCGS). 1848-D Liberty Half Eagle. Winter 18-M. Die State III. AU Details--Scratches (NGC). A satiny smooth pocket piece that is far and away the <em>lowest</em> graded example of this date. There are a couple of others that grade Fine-12, but these obviously lack the character, charm and fortitude of this survivor. The rims are virtually intact, with all the design elements discernable, with ample wear for a gold coin of any era. Curiously, other examples from this series are known, but mostly from the branch mints where demand for coinage was so high at the time of issue that is was not unreasonable for a gold coin to stay in circulation for a generation or more.