SILVER THREE-CENT PIECE 1851-1853 No Outline to Star

Description

Imagine today, the Mint producing a Thirty Three Cent coin to facilitate the purchase of postage stamps. That's exactly what occurred in 1851. The silver three-cent piece was intended to facilitate the purchase of three-cent stamps at various post office outlets.

The obverse of the 1851-1853 style bears a six pointed star at the center, upon which is a shield. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the date are around the border. The reverse employs a C-shaped ornament enclosing the Roman numeral III, with 13 stars surrounding. From the very outset, difficulties were experienced in striking the pieces up properly, with the result that many examples seen today are lightly impressed in one area or another or show adjustment marks (made at the Mint during the planchet preparation process). The small diameter of the coin evoked criticism. Large quantities were produced during the early years of the series, particularly in 1852 and 1853. Later, production declined, and the denomination never achieved widespread popularity.

As noted earlier, sharply struck pieces are elusive. AU coins are scarce, Uncirculated pieces are scarcer, and superb Uncirculated coins are quite rare.

Valuation

With the exception of the 1851-0 (New Orleans Mint) issue, the only branch mint issue of the denomination, all varieties of the 1851-1853 coinage are readily available in grades from Good through Extremely Fine.

COIN NAME
SILVER THREE-CENT PIECE 1851-1853 No Outline to Star: DESIGNED BY
James Barton Longacre: ISSUE DATE
1851-1853: COMPOSITION
0.75 part silver, 0.25 part copper: DIAMETER
14 mm: WEIGHT
12.35 grains (.8 gram): EDGE
Plain: BUS MINT
36,230,940: PROOF MINT
Fewer than 60

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