AMAZING 1871 $3.00 NGC/CAC GOLD STICKER AU55

The 1871 is one of my favorite dates in the entire Three Dollar series. The small original mintage of 1,300 business strikes tells only part of the story, as an overwhelming percentage of the surviving coins have been lightened or they have been roughly handled. I’d say that there are just a few dozen left with their natural surfaces intact and this piece—in an old NGC “fat boy” holder—ranks as among the most original 1871 $3s I have ever offered for sale.

In my opinion, this coin is a Gem Slider by today’s standards which means that it could grade AU58 (the right grade), or as high as MS61 (which feels like a push but I wouldn’t pass on a comparable piece in a 61 holder if it were offered to me). It is virgin original with unadulterated rich green-gold color with underlying flashes of rose-gold. There is a good deal of luster on either side, and the surfaces show just a few small marks with not a single one detracting or worthy of mention.

There are no records for this date in AU55 with CAC approval. Three PCGS/CAC AU58 coins have been auctioned: Stack’s Bowers 4/2025: 4497, Stack’s Bowers 2023 ANA: 6562 (an OGH coin with questionable color), and Heritage 3/2022: 92640. All three brought $8,400. In my opinion, this is a nicer coin and it has the added benefit of being the sole gold-stickered example of this date of which I am aware.

If you combine this coin with the 1879 gold sticker and the 1882 green sticker $3s which I currently have available, you’ll own a trio with all the bells and whistles you could possibly hope for.

CAC has approved four in AU55 (including this example with a gold sticker) with 20 finer.

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