1880 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. MS-65 (PCGS). A beautiful coin, and a conditionally rare offering for this key date three-dollar issue. Dressed in light golden-apricot color, the otherwise frosty surfaces reveal a semi-reflective finish in the fields as the coin dips into a light. Both sides are smartly impressed and expectably smooth at the assigned grade level.<p>Only 1,000 circulation strikes were produced for the 1880 three-dollar gold piece against a modest 36 Proofs delivered for the date - no matter the format you will be hard pressed to find an attractive example in any grade. Early 20th century dealer Henry Chapman insisted that much of the circulation strike mintage remained at the Mint and was later melted. As sometimes noted in other sources, the 2005 Bowers-Winter reference on the series suggests that there are some 140 to 170 or so examples of this issue known in Mint State, as here, but only 35 to 45 circulated survivors. Reported above in our cataloging for the Mint State 1879 $3 gold coins also offered in this sale, in the early 20th century Thomas L. Elder was well known for finding $3 gold coins at banks and in jewelers inventories and is rumored to have "saved" several hundred pieces from destruction. Many were dated 1879 and 1880, and many ended up with Chicago coin dealer Ben G. Green and notable collector John Beck. The present beauty may have been one of the Elder-Green-Beck pieces, though we are simply romanticizing here and have no way of knowing this coins earliest provenance. One thing is certain, however - the present 1880 is exceptionally attractive and would be a fine addition to any three-dollar gold cabinet being formed. PCGS# 8002. NGC ID: 25N3. PCGS Population: 21; 7 finer (MS-66+ finest).
