The 1883 three-dollar gold piece set to cross the block in February is an absolute gem by any standards. The rich honey-gold surfaces are afire with pale olive and sunset orange, the orange particularly bold on the reverse. The fields are chiefly reflective to a degree though some satiny texture can be found. Miss Liberty’s portrait appears frosty and elevated above the surface. The strike is strong throughout adding to the overall appeal. The surfaces are blemish-free to the unassisted eye save for a tiny patch of natural planchet surface, as struck and adjacent to the back of the 3 in the denomination. Only 900 examples of the date were struck for circulation, all delivered on December 15 just in time for the holiday gifting season; it is entirely probable that not all 900 pieces were distributed. Fortunately for today’s collecting public many of today’s survivors from that mintage are in AU or finer grades. It is thought that some 100 to 135 or so circulated examples of the date can be traced, while the Mint State population is thought to include some 75 to 100 separate specimens, with many of those clustered at the low end of the scale. The present coin is likely the finest available. PCGS# 8005. NGC ID: 25N6.
