The 1858 is the great classic among Philadelphia Mint $3 gold pieces and this gem is one of the foremost treasures in the Pogue Collection. It is highly lustrous medium gold with lively rose iridescence and patches of bright yellow mint bloom in the protected areas. The strike is essentially full in all areas of the design, and the appeal is beyond compare. Light magnification reveals a soft blemish that underscores the first A of AMERICA. Other marks include three tiny ticks on Liberty’s cheek and a few others at the tip of her neck. On the reverse we note a faint mark beneath the 3 of the denomination and another, just as faint, under OL in DOLLARS. Only 2,133 circulation strikes were forthcoming from Philadelphia this year, and the tiny number of interested numismatists probably opted to acquire Proof. Practically the entire mintage saw circulation, with most surviving specimens – perhaps just 125 to 150 or so – VF or occasionally EF. At AU the date becomes a notable rarity, and in Mint State the degree of rarity increases dramatically. Fewer than 10 true Mint State 1858 $3s are thought to be extant, and among those the D. Brent Pogue specimen stands high above the others. The Bowers-Winter reference states: “At one time this date was the darling of writers for auction catalogs, but in recent decades its fame has dimmed, most probably because current market emphasis is on high-grade Mint State coins, even of common dates, and truly rare coins at levels such as EF and AU are relatively unnoticed.” PCGS# 7978. NGC ID: 25MC.
