This very attractive $3 gold piece displays tinges of pinkish-rose iridescence over dominant medium orange patina. The surfaces are lustrous and very appealing for the assigned grade.At 82,304 pieces the mintage of the 1878 is the second highest in the three-dollar gold series after the 1854. Except for this and the similarly aberrant 1874 (41,800 pieces struck), the highest mintage three-dollar gold issue from the later years of this series is the 1887 -- with just 6,000 circulation strikes produced. Rather than seeing active commercial use, most 1878 three-dollar gold pieces remained in the Mint and were eventually melted. However, enough were paid out to banks that the 1878 now ranks as the most plentiful issue of its denomination in all grades. The term "plentiful" is relative, however, for the three-dollar gold piece as a type is scarce in an absolute sense, very scarce in lower Mint State grades, and rare at and above the Choice level. This premium quality example would make a fine addition to a high grade type set.
