1863 $3 Indian Princess Three Dollar PCGS MS-62

Civil War rarity! In 1863, the U.S. economy saw silver and gold coins vanish from circulation in the East Coast and Midwest, replaced by fractional currency due to the Civil War's economic disruptions. This led to a significant premium on gold, making the Philadelphia Mint's three-dollar gold piece, with a mintage of just 5,000, highly unpopular and rarely used in commerce. Q. David Bowers and Douglas Winter, in The United States $3 Gold Pieces (2005), emphasize the 1863 issue's elusive nature, noting that while low mintages are common for $3 gold coins of the 1880s, the 1863 is far rarer because few were deliberately saved. Unlike later issues that appear more frequently on the market, surviving 1863 examples are scarce across all grades, making them a significant find for collectors.

This particular 1863 three-dollar gold piece is a remarkable survivor, displaying vibrant peach-gold surfaces with glistening mint frost. The legends are sharply struck, though the plumes on Liberty's headdress and the wreath bow exhibit slight softness, a common trait due to early die clashing that left extensive clash marks on both sides. Despite these minor imperfections, the coin remains minimally marked, offering strong visual appeal and exceptional quality for a conditionally rare piece, highly coveted by specialists in U.S. gold coinage.