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The Open 3 Variety from 1873 displays spaced out serifs on the 3 and is far more common than its Closed 3 counterpart. Very common through MS64 with gems becoming quite scarce. Gems are scarce with brown color and those with more red are even more scarce.
Obverse Description
A portrait bearing the likeness of a Native American in full headdress framed by the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the periphery. The date is centered at the bottom under the portrait.
Reverse Description
The reverse bears the denomination of ONE CENT in the center surrounded by a wreath bearing a ribbon with arrows tied in at the bottom center.
Book Reference
1873, Open 3, Cent Production: The new dies with the Open 3 were made as soon as it was practicable. It seems that the Closed 3 digit punch was reworked to make the balls of the 3 smaller. Coins from these new dies were apparently struck alongside those of the Closed 3 dies.
Survivability: Although this date is scarce, examples survived the 1870’s recoinage a bit better than earlier dates. A little more than six million coins, mostly early cents, were redeemed during the 1873 and 1874 fiscal years. After 1874, coins were no longer melted unless they were unfit for circulation. This saved many coins from this date onward from the melting pot. This date is mostly found in very low grades.
Collecting Challenges: This date is more readily available than earlier dates, but is still scarce enough to be diffcult to find problem free.
Collecting Circulated Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for circulated coins is EF-40. As with most issues of this era, finding problem-free examples is very diffcult.
Collecting Mint State Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for Mint State coins is MS-64RB. This coin is much more readily available than the Closed 3 digit style. It is similar in rarity to the 1874 and 1875 issues. Most examples have streaky red-brown toning, as the source of the metal for this issue was a mixture of melted-down bronze cents and virgin metal. Full red examples are scarce.
VARIETIES:
A minor doubled die exists with doubling only on the L in LIBERTY. More interesting is a bold repunched date, Snow-1, which looks like a Closed 3 date style due to the multiple threes.
Catalog Information
GSID:
1326
Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Lettering:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1873
Reverse Designer:
James B. Longacre
Reverse Lettering:
ONE CENT
Weight (gr):
3.11 gr
Weight (oz):
0.11 oz
Strike Type:
Business
Diameter:
19
Coin Shape:
Round
Edge:
Plain
Variety:
Open 3
Coin Date:
1873
Denomination:
1c
Designation:
MS
Mint Location:
Philadelphia
Mintage:
11,676,500
Coinage Type:
Indian Head Cent
Coinage Years:
1864-1909
Composition:
95% copper; 5% zinc & tin
PCGS #:
2106
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Subject: I would like to contribute catalog info to CDN for 1873 1c Open 3 MS BN
Body: Referring page: http://dev.greysheet.com/prices/item/1873-brown-surfaces-open-3-united-states-indian-cent/gsid/1326 GSID: 1326 Title: 1873 1c Open 3 MS BN
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Coin Value History
1873 1c Open 3 MS BN
Value By Grade
1873 1c Open 3 MS BN
CPG (retail) values
Currency
Grade Range
Grading Authority
Sort by
Pricing
Values
Greysheet & CPG® Values
| Grade | CAC | CPG Value (Retail) | Greysheet Price (Wholesale) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS66 |
|
$2,200 | $1,234 |
| MS66 | - | $1,750 | $1,234 |
| MS65 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS65 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS64 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS64 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS63 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS63 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS62 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS62 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS61 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS61 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS60 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS60 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF35 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF35 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF30 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF30 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF25 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF25 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF20 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF20 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| F15 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| F15 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| F12 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| F12 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG10 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG10 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG8 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG8 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| G6 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| G6 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| G4 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| G4 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AG3 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AG3 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
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Worth: $6 – $18,000
1860 1c Pointed Bust MS
Worth: $7 – $28,800
1861 1c MS
Worth: $14 – $72,000
1862 1c MS
Worth: $6 – $72,000
1863 1c MS
Worth: $6 – $18,750
1864 1c Copper Nickel MS
Worth: $14 – $20,000
Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS BN [Type]
![Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS BN [Type]](https://images.greysheet.com/Ctc/CatalogEntry/auctions_stacksbowers_com_lots_view_3_j4gae-0.20200712022457246.jpg?MaxWidth=200&Mode=Pad&Scale=UpscaleCanvas&format=webp)
Worth: $1 – $1,688
Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS RB [Type]
![Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS RB [Type]](https://images.greysheet.com/Ctc/Catalog/20250811/m7z2wm7kefb0wx6umy1d.webp?MaxWidth=200&Mode=Pad&Scale=UpscaleCanvas&format=webp)
Worth: $44 – $2,000
Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS RD [Type]
![Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS RD [Type]](https://images.greysheet.com/Ctc/Catalog/20200826/ha_com_131705_30309-0.20200826140250544.jpg?MaxWidth=200&Mode=Pad&Scale=UpscaleCanvas&format=webp)
Worth: $110 – $120,000
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Worth: $10 – $625
1864 1c Bronze MS RB
Worth: $160 – $11,500
1864 1c Bronze MS RD
Worth: $300 – $18,000
1873 1C Open 3 AU53 PCGS. PCGS Population: 46 in 53, 406 finer (1/26). CDN: $190 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS AU53. Mintage 11,...
$226
1873 1C Open 3 MS65 Brown NGC. NGC Census: 47 in 65, 5 finer (1/26). CDN: $900 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS65. Mintage 11,67...
$915
1873 1C Open 3, MS64 Brown ANACS. Mintage 11,676,500....
$360
1873 1C Open 3 XF45 PCGS. CDN: $160 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS XF45. Mintage 11,676,500. ...
$186
1873 1C Open 3 -- Recolored -- ANACS Details. MS60 Details. Mintage 11,676,500....
$192
1873 1C Open 3 MS66 Brown NGC. NGC Census: (4/0). Mintage 11,676,500. ...
$2,280
1873 1C Open 3 XF40 PCGS. Mintage 11,676,500. ...
$139
1873 1C Open 3 AU55 PCGS. PCGS Population: (93/305). Mintage 11,676,500. ...
$240
1873 1C Open 3 MS62 Brown PCGS. PCGS Population: (45/179). Mintage 11,676,500. ...
$302
1873 1C Open 3, Repunched Date, Snow-1, FS-1301, Fine 15 PCGS. PCGS Population: (2/10). ...
$79
1873 1C Open 3 MS63 Brown PCGS. PCGS Population: (94/83). Mintage 11,676,500. ...
$384
1873 1C Open 3 VF35 Brown NGC. NGC Census: (24/580). PCGS Population: (40/744). CDN: $90 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS VF35. Mint...
$89
1873 1C Open 3 AU50 NGC. NGC Census: (40/420). PCGS Population: (78/416). CDN: $180 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS AU50. Mintage 1...
$180
1873 1C Open 3 AU58 NGC. NGC Census: (67/240). PCGS Population: (70/220). CDN: $230 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS AU58. Mintage 1...
$840
1873 1C Open 3 VF30 NGC. NGC Census: (24/555). PCGS Population: (44/755). CDN: $80 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS VF30. Mintage 11...
$79
1873 1c NGC Good-06 BN (Open 3)
$35
1873 1C Open 3 MS61 Brown NGC. Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. NGC Census: (7/52). PCGS Population (3/113)...
$282
1873 1C Open-3, Repunched Date FS-1301, S-1 Fine 12 PCGS. PCGS Population (0/0). NGC Census: (0/0)....
$129
1873 1C Open 3--Questionable Color--Genuine PCGS. This PCGS number ending in 91 suggests Questionable color as the reason, ...
$172
1873 1C Open 3 Very Good 8 NGC. NGC Census: (0/0). PCGS Population (1/196). Mintage: 11,676,500. Numismedia Wsl. Price for ...
$32
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