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HomeUS CoinsThe Gold Coins of San Francisco, Part III: Three Dollar Gold

The Gold Coins of San Francisco, Part III: Three Dollar Gold

By Doug WinterRareGoldCoins.com ……

CoinWeek Content Partner ……
Just five Three Dollar gold pieces were made at the San Francisco Mint, and this includes one issue–the 1870-S–that is unique. This is an easy set to complete although all San Francisco Threes are rare in higher grades.

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Let’s take a quick look at the four regular issues from this mint and rank them in order of overall rarity (the total known in all grades) and in high-grade rarity (in this case MS60 and finer):

Overall and condition rarity of four regular issue San Francisco Mint Three Dollar Gold pieces. Info courtesy Doug Winter Numismatics

Now let’s look at each of these four dates and conclude with my thoughts on the 1870-S.

1855-S

Until recently, I ranked the 1855-S as the rarest San Francisco three dollar gold coin. However, enough of these have been located in recent years that I now rank the 1855-S as the second rarest after the 1860-S. It is still the rarest date in high grades and it remains very rare in Uncirculated.

1855-S $3.00 PCGS AU58 CAC. Images courtesy Douglas Winter Numismatics

1855-S $3.00 PCGS AU58 CAC. Images courtesy Douglas Winter Numismatics

There were 6,600 struck, and this date appears to have seen use in local commerce as numerous examples exist in grades as low as Very Fine. The 1855-S becomes hard to locate in properly graded AU55, and it is rare in AU58. In Uncirculated, this is a very rare issue with no more than three to five known. The single finest is the PCGS MS62+ Great Lakes/Pogue coin that brought $55,225 USD in 2016. An NGC MS63 set a record price for the date when it realized $64,625 in the Heritage 2017 ANA auction.

This date is almost always seen with enhanced surfaces, and examples with natural color and choice surfaces are much harder to locate than most collectors realize. The strike and luster tend to be good while the natural color is a pale to medium orange-gold.

The 1855-S was not impacted by finds from either of the SS Central America salvages, and there have been no examples of this date located in overseas hoards. I believe this date will remain rare in higher grades and it is likely to continue to have multiple levels of demand as it is sought by specialists and collectors who appreciate its first-year-of-issue status.

Current values for this date are around $8,000-10,000 for an average quality PCGS AU55, and $15,000-20,000 for an AU58. These levels represent good value only if the coin in question is nice.

1856-S

The 1856-S is the second-most-available branch mint Three Dollar after the 1854-O and it is far and away the most available from San Francisco in terms of both its overall and high-grade rarities. The finest known are three coins graded MS64 by PCGS. Surprisingly, no higher grade examples of this date were found in the SS Central America (SSCA) salvage.

1856-S $3.00 PCGS AU55 CAC, EX SSCA. Images courtesy Doug Winter Numismatics

1856-S $3.00 PCGS AU55 CAC, EX SSCA

Three varieties are known and these are as follows:

  • Medium S mintmark: Very common with about 80% of the known survivors
  • Small S mintmark: Scarce with about 15% of the known survivors
  • Large S mintmark: Rare with about 5% of the known survivors

The 1856-S is a well-made issue – sharply struck and with nice, frosty luster. The natural color is a rich yellow-gold with a smaller number being more of an orange-gold in hue. It is reasonably easy to locate this date with unmarked surfaces and decent color, so the collector should be patient as a nice piece will come up for sale. An attractive AU55 is a good, affordable option for many collectors and such a coin should cost in the $3,000-4,000 range. A properly graded AU58 will cost $5,000-7,000, while an Uncirculated 1856-S should be available in the $15,000-20,000 range.

1857-S

The 1857-S is a bit more available than the 1855-S. As with the 1855-S, this date is seen in lower grades, proving that it saw circulation in the Western economy. It is more available than the 1855-S in the highest circulated grades, but the vast majority of the coins graded AU55 and AU58 have been stripped and are not choice.

1857-S $3.00 PCGS AU50 CAC. Images courtesy Doug Winter Numismatics

1857-S $3.00 PCGS AU50 CAC

Until the discovery of six Uncirculated pieces in the second SSCA recovery, the 1857-S was extremely rare in Uncirculated with just two or three known, the finest being the Great Lakes/Pogue coin, which realized $76,375 in early 2016. An amazing PCGS MS67 was located and it is, by a clear margin, the single finest branch mint Three Dollar of any date.

The 1857-S is another well-struck issue with good luster that can be located with clean surfaces. Most have been processed and nice, original AU55 and AU58 pieces are much harder to locate than their seemingly high PCGS population figures would suggest.

In my opinion, nice collector grade pieces are undervalued as they can be located in the $2,500-3,000 range. An AU55 should cost around $5,500-6,000, while an AU58 will cost $12,500-15,000, but it will require considerable patience as these are not readily available.

1860-S

Only 7,000 examples of this date were produced and around 4-5% of these are known to exist with most showing considerable wear. The 1860-S is scarce in the lower to middle AU grades, and properly graded AU55 to AU58 coins are very scarce. In Uncirculated, there are likely no more than three to five known with the finest likely the Bass II: 672 coin now owned by D.L. Hansen. The Eliasberg: 285 coin was said to grade “MS64” but it has remained unseen since 1982, either buried in a collection or ruined by an overzealous dealer.

1860-S $3.00 PCGS MS62. Images courtesy Doug Winter Numismatics

1860-S $3.00 PCGS MS62

This issue often shows weakness on the lowest curls and on the bow knot. The luster is not as pronounced as on the earlier San Francisco issues and it is grainier in texture. The natural color is a rich orange-gold but few exist with original color. I regard the 1860-S as a real appearance rarity and this is backed-up by the CAC population of just one coin approved in AU55, two in AU58 and none finer.

If you’re able to locate a nice EF example in the $2,500-3,000, this is a no-brainer: buy it without hesitation. A nice AU55 will run around $7,500, while an AU58 is going to be hard to locate and expensive as well, with a price tag in the $15,000-20,000 range.

1870-S

The 1870-S is one of the very few regular issue United States gold coins that is unequivocally unique. The only known example is the Bass/Eliasberg/Woodin coin currently on display at the ANA Museum in Colorado Springs. The coin is not especially nice as it shows signs of having been used in jewelry. It also has the numerals 893 scratched into the reverse field.

1870-S $3.00 COURTESY OF COINFACTS/BOWERS & MERENA

1870-S $3.00. Courtesy PCGS CoinFacts, Bowers & Merena

What would this coin sell for if it were made available to collectors? It sold for $687,500 at the Eliasberg Sale in October 1982; the exact same price as the excessively rare 1822 half eagle. Today, the 1822 is easily a five to six million dollar coin; possibly more. But the Eliasberg 1822 is a nice coin from an aesthetic standpoint and it is part of a series that is actively collected by date. I believe the 1870-S would bring less, and the sales record I consider most relevant is that of the 1854-S half eagle.

There are three known 1854-S half eagles with only two of them collectible: the Pogue/Eliasberg coin (graded AU58 by PCGS and absolutely exceptional, in my opinion), and an NGC EF45 that surfaced last year and sold for $2,160,000. This coin had some condition issues and there were unanswered questions about its provenance. Had the coin been a little nicer and had its origin story been more transparent, it could have easily brought $3,000,000-4,000,000.

The 1870-S would likely pull somewhere at the midway point between the 1854-S half eagle and the 1822 half eagle.

The next article in this multi-part series will focus on No Motto Liberty Head half eagles from San Francisco. If you are interested in assembling a specialized collection of San Francisco gold coins, please contact Doug Winter by phone at (214) 675-9897 or via email at [email protected].

Links to Part I | Part II

 

Doug Winter Numismatics, specialists in U.S. gold coins

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About Doug Winter

Doug_Winter2Doug has spent much of his life in the field of numismatics; beginning collecting coins at the age of seven, and by the time he was 10 years old, buying and selling coins at conventions in the New York City area.

In 1989, he founded Douglas Winter Numismatics, and his firm specializes in buying and selling choice and rare US Gold coins, especially US gold coins and all branch mint material.

Recognized as one of the leading specialized numismatic firms, Doug is an award-winning author of over a dozen numismatic books and the recognized expert on US Gold. His knowledge and an exceptional eye for properly graded and original coins has made him one of the most respected figures in the numismatic community and a sought after dealer by collectors and investors looking for professional personalized service, a select inventory of impeccable quality and fair and honest pricing. Doug is also a major buyer of all US coins and is always looking to purchase collections both large and small. He can be reached at (214) 675-9897.

Doug has been a contributor to the Guidebook of United States Coins (also known as the “Redbook”) since 1983, Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Coins, Q. David Bowers’ Encyclopedia of United States Silver Dollars and Andrew Pollock’s United States Pattern and Related Issues

In addition, he has authored 13 books on US Gold coins including:
  • Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint: 1839-1909
  • Gold Coins of the Carson City Mint: 1870 – 1893
  • Gold Coins of the Charlotte Mint: 1838-1861
  • Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint 1838-1861
  • The United States $3 Gold Pieces 1854-1889
  • Carson City Gold Coinage 1870-1893: A Rarity and Condition Census Update
  • An Insider’s Guide to Collecting Type One Double Eagles
  • The Connoisseur’s Guide to United States Gold Coins
  • A Collector’s Guide To Indian Head Quarter Eagles
  • The Acadiana Collection of New Orleans Coinage
  • Type Three Double Eagles, 1877-1907: A Numismatic History and Analysis
  • Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint, 1838-1861: A Numismatic History and Analysis
  • Type Two Double Eagles, 1866-1876: A Numismatic History and Analysis

Finally, Doug is a member of virtually every major numismatic organization, professional trade group and major coin association in the US.

 

Doug Winter
Doug Winterhttps://www.raregoldcoins.com
Doug Winter founded Douglas Winter Numismatics (DWN) in 1985. The nationally renowned firm specializes in buying and selling rare United States gold coins. He has written over a dozen books, including the standard references on Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans gold coinage, and Type 1 Liberty Head Double Eagles. Douglas has also contributed to the A Guidebook of United States Coins, Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Coins, Q. David Bowers’ Encyclopedia of United States Silver Dollars, and Andrew Pollock’s United States Pattern and Related Issues. He is a member of the PNG, the ANA, the ANS, the NLG, CAC, PCGS, and NGC - among other professional affiliations. Contact Doug Winter at [email protected].

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