This 1871 $3 is strikingly handsome with deep orange-gold surfaces alive with fiery luster and lively rose and deep orange iridescence. Lightly reflective fields complement cameo contrast. The strike is typical with trifling weakness at the plume ends and in some of Liberty’s tresses; the reverse is somewhat weak at the bow and the adjoining leaves. Marks are minimal, as should be expected at the assigned grade. Only a faint mark at the U in UNITED and a tiny mark on Liberty’s neck, both brought out by a steep angle to a light source and difficult to detect with the unassisted eye. The remarkable reverse is absolutely devoid of marks of any substance, perhaps worthy of being called 69 or 70! There was a time when ANACS, under the aegis of the American Numismatic Association (but later sold to private interests), had split grading to more accurately represent the condition of a coin. A gem such is this might be called MS-68/70. The 1,300 pieces struck for circulation were all delivered by the coiner on January 6. The typical survivor from the estimated 200 to 250 examples known is lightly circulated. This gem $3 was a focal point for quality in the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection in 1999 as it was in the Great Lakes Collection. It then moved into the D. Brent Pogue Collection where it has resided for 16 years. The Philadelphia Mint shipped two dies to San Francisco for an anticipated 1871-S $3 coinage that never materialized. PCGS# 7993. NGC ID: 25MU.
