1882 $3 Three Dollar PCGS MS63 (CAC) OGH

1882 $3 Three Dollar PCGS MS63 (CAC) OGH
PCGS # 8004
Grading Service PCGS
Grade MS63
Mint Location Philadelphia
Year 1882
Designation NONE
Strike Business
Grade Add On CAC
1882 $3 Three Dollar PCGS MS63 (CAC) OGH
1882 $3
SKU: 2543754
A low-mintage Philadelphia Three Dollar gold piece with certified Choice Mint State preservation and CAC-endorsed quality, this 1882 issue offers the combination of scarcity, originality, and strong collector appeal that advanced gold specialists prize. With a mintage of just 1,500 pieces, it is a legitimately scarce late-date representative of the short-lived Three Dollar series, and an especially desirable example in PCGS MS63 with CAC approval.
Designed by James B. Longacre, the obverse features the distinctive left-facing head of Liberty as an Indian Princess, crowned with a feathered headdress inscribed LIBERTY, encircled by the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The reverse presents the denomination and date, 3 DOLLARS 1882, within an agricultural wreath of corn, wheat, cotton, and tobacco, a composition emblematic of the nation’s agricultural abundance. Struck at Philadelphia and therefore without mintmark, this issue represents one of the most elegant and unconventional denominations in classic United States gold coinage.
The present specimen is certified MS63 by PCGS and further confirmed by CAC, a meaningful endorsement for originality and solid quality within the assigned grade. Visually, the coin displays warm yellow-gold color with pleasing satiny to softly frosted mint luster and notably attractive eye appeal for the level. The strike is characteristically sharp in the central motifs, with Liberty’s portrait and the wreath details boldly defined. Light scattered abrasions and minor handling marks are consistent with a Choice Uncirculated designation, yet the overall appearance remains clean, balanced, and highly collectible. The fields and devices retain an appealing freshness that supports the coin’s premium status.
Within the Three Dollar gold series of 1854-1889, the 1882 issue has long drawn attention from specialists. Although its production was very limited, David Akers observed that the date is encountered in choice condition more often than might normally be expected for so small a mintage, even absent the kind of hoard presence associated with certain nearby dates. He also noted that business strikes commonly show the so-called “High 2” characteristic in the date and warned that the issue has been widely counterfeited, with deceptive forgeries known to the market. In that context, a fully certified and CAC-approved example carries particular importance for buyers seeking confidence as well as quality. CAC Population is only 5 with 11 higher.
Collector demand for the denomination remains consistently strong, as the Three Dollar gold piece is one of the classic odd-denomination U.S. gold types and a perennial favorite for type collectors, date collectors, and specialists in Liberty-era gold. This 1882 is not generally classified as a major key date, but its very low mintage places it firmly among the scarcer later issues of the series. PCGS reports a population of 45 in MS63, with 39 numerically finer, underscoring its limited availability in certified Choice Mint State preservation. Those figures, combined with CAC approval and the issue’s low original production, make this a compelling offering for collectors who appreciate both rarity and selectivity.
An attractive, low-mintage 1882 Three Dollar gold piece with the added assurance of PCGS certification and CAC endorsement, this is a handsome and desirable example of one of the most distinctive denominations in American numismatics.