1864 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. AU Details--Cleaned (PCGS). Warm honey-orange color with wisps of iridescent reddish-rose, appreciable luster and bold to sharp striking detail further enhance the visual appearance for both sides. Light hairlines explain the PCGS qualifier, although we stress that there are no sizeable or otherwise individually distracting handling marks. With 2,630 pieces produced, the 1864 has one of the lowest mintages in the circulation strike three-dollar gold series of 1854 to 1889. Little gold bullion reached the Philadelphia Mint during this Civil War year. Gold coins of all denominations were absent from circulation in the Eastern and Midwestern states and had been since late December 1861. Two deliveries sufficed to close out this issue: 440 coins on February 25 and 2,190 pieces on December 6. All were struck from a single die pair, the reverse with a Repunched Date that is boldest on the digits 18. The offered piece represents a significant find for budget minded gold enthusiasts with an interest in this challenging 19th century series.
