United States 1854 3 dollars
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The three dollar gold piece was authorized by Congress in 1853 and first struck in 1854. Ostensibly produced to ease transactions with the new silver three cent piece, numismatists have debated for decades the reason for its introduction, as it quickly proved unwanted. After 35 years of ever diminishing production, it was terminated in 1889. Thousands were still in Treasury vaults when the great melt of 1933 occurred. Today, it is the scarcest denomination struck for circulation.
Recorded Mintage: 138,618, by far the most common date.
Specification: 5.02 g, 0.900 fine gold, 20.5 mm diameter, engraved by James Longacre.
Catalog reference: KM 84.
- Breen, Walter H., Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Coins, New York: Doubleday, 1987.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed., Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011.
- Alexander, David T., Coin World Comprehensive Catalog & Encyclopedia of United States Coins, Sidney, OH: Amos Press, 1995.
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