1863 $3.00 NGC MS64 CAC

Only 5,000 business strike 1863 three dollar gold pieces were made and due to the economic turbulence of the Civil War, not many were saved. As a result, the 1863 is a scarce coin in higher grades and an issue that is very rare in the MS64 to MS65 range. This piece is very unusual for the issue as it lacks the prominent clashmarks seen on most 1863 Threes. It is semi-prooflike; another unusual situation for an issue that is typically seen with lustrous, slight grainy surfaces. This piece has the appearance of a Gem and I purchased it from one of the sharpest "breakout" wholesalers I know who told me that he graded it a full MS65. While I often disagree with him, I think he was pretty accurate on this and I can't figure out exactly what is keeping it from the 65 level. Since 2005, only three MS64's have sold at auction. The last record is Heritage 1/10: 2125, a PCGS piece, which brought $14,950. That coin had funky color and, in my opinion, it was low end for the grade. The Three Dollar series has numerous excellent values and this high grade 1863 is a piece that should appeal to the sophisticated collector who recognizes true value.