1883 $1.00 PCGS PR64 CAM CAC

One of 207 struck. An estimated four to five dozen Proofs of this date are known and the 1883 is far scarcer than the 1884-1889 gold dollars which were issued in quantities of 1,000 and above. This borderline Gem example has superb "black and white" contrast and would be a full-blown Gem were it not for two small but noticeable lintmarks in the obverse field adjacent to the tip of the portrait. If you have always wanted to own a genuinely rare Proof gold coin and you'd like said coin to have legitimately good eye appeal, this is a rare opportunity indeed.

CAC has approved just one 1883 gold dollar in PR64CAM with three finer than this.

1883 $3.00 NGC MS63

With an original mintage of just 900 business strikes, the 1883 has one of the lowest production figures of any American gold coin. It is comparable to the 1885 three dollar (which has a mintage figure of just 801) and not as rare as the 1881 (with a mintage of 500). This example is semi-prooflike with attractive medium reddish-gold toning which is most fully developed at the obverse border and across much of the reverse center. There is a small sharp mark on the cheek of Liberty and a few light nicks in the upper right obverse field; the reverse appears to be of Gem quality. Auction appearances for MS63 1883 three dollar gold pieces seem to occur at the rate of about two or three a year and typically examples fetch in the $11,000-12,000 range.

1883 $1.00 NGC PR64 Cameo CAC

A total of 207 were Proof gold dollars were minted in 1883. Based on the PCGS and NGC population data, I'd guess that as few as 50-60 are known with most of these in the PR64 to PR66 range. This example has incredible eye appeal for the grade with the naked eye appearance of a coin that grades at least a point or two higher. There is a small mint-made lintmark right at the tip of the bust that NGC must have felt limited the grade but there are a virtual absence of hairlines or friction on the cheek that you typically see on Proof coins of this era graded 64. In my opinion, a coin like this is simply outstanding value as it is one of the few legitimately scarce pieces of Proof gold you can buy in this price range that is not terribly impaired or relatively common. This is the only 1883 gold dollar in PR64 to have been approved by CAC; three finer examples have been approved as well.

1883 $3.00 PCGS AU55 CAC

Only 900 business strikes were made. The 1883 Three Dollar has the lowest mintage figure of nearly any affordable 19th century U.S. gold coin. After all, how many regular issues have a mintage of just 900 coins yet can be purchased in high-end AU grades for less than $5,000? This is a very high end example with semi-prooflike surfaces that show lovely coppery-orange color on the obverse and reverse. There is just a smidgen of wear seen on both sides and the fields are clean and attractive. One of the really fun sets to assemble is a date run of Three Dollar gold pieces from 1879 to 1889. This ten year group includes a number of low mintage coins (three have fewer than 1,000 business strikes) yet nothing is very expensive or impossibly hard to find. The last PCGS 55 example of an 1883 to sell at auction was B+M 2/08: 2514 which brought $3,795.