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3 cent silver "trimes" were struck from 1851 through 1873 and were produced with the primary purpose of paying for postage, which at the time was 3 cents for a first-class letter mailed in the United States. While the "trime," designed by James B. Longacre, indeed became popular with the public for this reason, 3 cent coins also served a larger role in commerce, and the denomination circulated well for many years.
The 3-cent coin also has the reputation of being the nation's lightest coin, weighing in at only 0.80 grams upon its debut and eventually being scaled back to only 0.75 grams. There are three major varieties or subtypes within the series. These include the Type I, which was struck from 1851 through 1853 and has the plainest design and is also the most common design variant of the series. The Type II, struck from 1854 through 1858, exhibits a border around the obverse star and has greater ornamentation around the "III" on the reverse. Further border enhancements on the obverse star created the third and final subtype, which was minted from 1859 until the end of the series in 1873.
All regular-issue dates minted from 1863 through 1872 are extremely scarce, as most of the production from those years was melted in 1873. There are a few notable varieties, including the 1851 1/inverted 2 and 1862 2/1 overdate. Proofs were also made during most years the series was issued, and all of these proof issues are scarce. All of the 1873 pieces were struck only as proofs.
Obverse Description
A six-pointed star with a harp in the center is surrounded by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on the periphery and the date positioned at the bottom.
Reverse Description
The roman numeral III is centered in the design ensconced in a large, bejeweled letter C surrounded by 13 stars on the periphery.
Catalog Information
GSID:
77935
Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Lettering:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, [Date]
Reverse Designer:
James B. Longacre
Reverse Lettering:
III
Fineness:
0.9
Weight (gr):
0.75 gr
Weight (oz):
0.0241 oz
Precious Metal Weight:
0.0217 oz
Strike Type:
Business
Diameter:
14
Coin Shape:
Round
Edge:
Plain
Variety:
no 1862/1
Variety 2:
23 Coins
Coin Date:
3-Cent Silver Set
Denomination:
3cS
Designation:
MS
Coinage Type:
Three cent silver
Coinage Years:
1851-1872
Composition:
0.75 silver; 0.25 copper
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Coin Value History
3-Cent Silver Set 3cS no 1862/1, 23 Coins MS
Value By Grade
3-Cent Silver Set 3cS no 1862/1, 23 Coins MS
CPG (retail) values
Currency
Grade Range
Grading Authority
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Pricing
Values
Greysheet & CPG® Values
| Grade | CAC | CPG Value (Retail) | Greysheet Price (Wholesale) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS67 |
|
$456,000 | $1,234 |
| MS67 | - | $373,500 | $1,234 |
| MS66 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS66 | - | $1,234 | $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 |
3-Cent Silver 3cS Type 1, 1851-1853 MS [Type]
Worth: $27 – $22,000
1851 3cS MS
Worth: $27 – $22,000
1851-O 3cS MS
Worth: $35 – $26,400
1852 3cS MS
Worth: $27 – $22,000
1853 3cS MS
Worth: $27 – $4,000
3-Cent Silver 3cS Type 2, 1854-1858 MS [Type]
Worth: $30 – $75,000
1854 3cS MS
Worth: $33 – $75,000
1855 3cS MS
Worth: $45 – $48,000
1856 3cS MS
Worth: $32 – $36,000
1857 3cS MS
Worth: $30 – $18,000
1858 3cS MS
Worth: $30 – $75,000
3-Cent Silver 3cS Type 3, 1859-1872 MS [Type]
Worth: $30 – $19,800
1859 3cS MS
Worth: $30 – $24,000
1860 3cS MS
Worth: $30 – $40,000
1861 3cS MS
Worth: $30 – $19,800
Greysheet News
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8/8/2024
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7/25/2024
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Events
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Sunday, May 3, 2026
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Sunday, May 10, 2026