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Three Dollar Gold for Type...

lkeneficlkenefic Posts: 9,540 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

The most common dates are 1854, 1874, and 1878... if you're looking for an example for an Everyman Type Set do you care which date? 1854 is the first year of issue but it's also one of the more common dates available...

Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;

Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.

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    DMWJRDMWJR Posts: 6,103 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm a first year issue person. I had a pretty cool type set of first year issue coins at one time.

    Doug
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    291fifth291fifth Posts: 25,230 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Do you really want to be putting money into common date gold coins with gold at record highs?

    All glory is fleeting.
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    lkeneficlkenefic Posts: 9,540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @291fifth said:
    Do you really want to be putting money into common date gold coins with gold at record highs?

    I've thought about this too. It's a common date of an uncommon series. Yes, gold is at historic highs... but we're not talking commonality like a 1924 Saint... or my 1881 $5 Liberty... there appears to be some "numismatic value" (to borrow from another thread) in $3 Gold that has somewhat insulated it from the price increases. Pieces I was looking at in the AU50 - 55 range hovered in the $1200 to $1400 price point when gold was $1250/oz back in 2019... gold has nearly tripled since then, but the prices now for these grades seem to hover in the $1800 - $2000 range...

    Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;

    Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
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    lkeneficlkenefic Posts: 9,540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MFeld said:

    @291fifth said:
    Do you really want to be putting money into common date gold coins with gold at record highs?

    I don’t know what grade example @lkenefic is searching for. However, I did a quick check of recent sales for a common date in both MS62 and MS63 condition and overall, the prices didn’t appear to be any higher than they were a year or two ago.

    A $3 gold piece melts at less than $550, so in terms of dollars, isn’t affected to a great extent by the near record price of gold.

    Hi Mark... thanks. I'm looking in the XF45 to AU55 range...

    Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;

    Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
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    MFeldMFeld Posts: 17,206 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @lkenefic said:

    @291fifth said:
    Do you really want to be putting money into common date gold coins with gold at record highs?

    I've thought about this too. It's a common date of an uncommon series. Yes, gold is at historic highs... but we're not talking commonality like a 1924 Saint... or my 1881 $5 Liberty... there appears to be some "numismatic value" (to borrow from another thread) in $3 Gold that has somewhat insulated it from the price increases. Pieces I was looking at in the AU50 - 55 range hovered in the $1200 to $1400 price point when gold was $1250/oz back in 2019... gold has nearly tripled since then, but the prices now for these grades seem to hover in the $1800 - $2000 range...

    In checking prices for AU53 and AU55 examples, I saw quite a few auctition sales for considerably less than $1800-$2000.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

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    oldabeintxoldabeintx Posts: 3,220 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The 1854 is actually a unique type IMO. Compare the reverse to other years. I also like it as a first year. I try to use first or last year for type, sort of educational.

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    Downtown1974Downtown1974 Posts: 7,189 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For type sets? No, common dates don’t bother me at all.
    As a matter of fact, the Morgan slot for my 7070 is occupied by the ubiquitous 1881-S. It just happened to be the most eye appealing Morgan I have in any grade.
    Detail coins is where I draw the line though. No details.

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    chesterbchesterb Posts: 995 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 16, 2025 8:20PM

    I avoid common dates myself. The $3 series is long and there are lots of dates available that have a fraction of the common date mintage at similar price points. An example is 1856. I personally would rather have that date than an 1854. There are also Civil War dates that always are in demand, more so than the 1854 imo.

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    lkeneficlkenefic Posts: 9,540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @winesteven said:
    I’m a big Type Set collector, and in general my choice is to buy a common date, so that I can then afford a higher grade. A higher grade as a generalization will better show that coin as the designer envisioned it would look! Isn’t that the goal of Type Sets - to show what that design is supposed to look like?

    Steve

    This is my general approach to Type Sets too but I gravitate towards business strikes that were lightly circulated (XF to AU). That was the "sweet spot" for my 7070. I still have that romanticized notion that these coins were used in commerce and people from that era actually touched them as they went about their day-to-day lives... sort of a link to history. It also helps with the budget!! :wink:

    Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;

    Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
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    semikeycollectorsemikeycollector Posts: 1,454 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @chesterb said:
    I avoid common dates myself. The $3 series is long and there are lots of dates available that have a fraction of the common date mintage at similar price points. An example is 1856. I personally would rather have that date than an 1854. There are also Civil War dates that always are in demand, more so than the 1854 imo.

    I agree with Chesterb. The 1855, 1856 and 1857 are similar in price and are many times scarcer than the 1854.

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    MFeldMFeld Posts: 17,206 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If looking for a type example, I’d do my best to find one that had a wonderful coverall appearance and was strong for the assigned grade. I wouldn’t focus on the date, as doing so could significantly reduce my options.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

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    CryptoCrypto Posts: 4,099 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 17, 2025 12:28PM

    I have a 54-o to breakup the common factor a bit. As a southern branch mint they used to be cheaper being out shined by the 54D but have come into their own a bit in the last 5-10 years

    11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set

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    Downtown1974Downtown1974 Posts: 7,189 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MFeld said:
    If looking for a type example, I’d do my best to find one that had a wonderful coverall appearance and was strong for the assigned grade. I wouldn’t focus on the date, as doing so could significantly reduce my options.

    This…100%

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    BillJonesBillJones Posts: 35,963 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The interesting thing about the 1854 $3 gold coins is that the word “DOLLARS” is in smaller letters than all later years. That makes it little more interesting than the other common dates.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
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    oldabeintxoldabeintx Posts: 3,220 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillJones said:
    The interesting thing about the 1854 $3 gold coins is that the word “DOLLARS” is in smaller letters than all later years. That makes it little more interesting than the other common dates.

    Yes and the difference isn’t subtle. I’ve included both the 1854 and an 1889 in my “expanded” type set.

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    World67World67 Posts: 13,098 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillJones said:
    The interesting thing about the 1854 $3 gold coins is that the word “DOLLARS” is in smaller letters than all later years. That makes it little more interesting than the other common dates.

    Agree, interesting 1 year "type" so to speak.


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    pcgsregistrycollectorpcgsregistrycollector Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I only touch keys.

    Proud follower of Christ! I love the USA! Land of the Bright and Beautiful! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

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    Downtown1974Downtown1974 Posts: 7,189 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @pcgscacgold love the color on that one! ❤️
    Might as well go 3 posts in a row on the 78s.
    From my gold type set.
    MS62

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    CopperindianCopperindian Posts: 3,398 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Weighing in:

    I just wanted a nice example regardless of date & this one was it. MS64+ CAC.

    “The thrill of the hunt never gets old”

    PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
    Copperindian
    Copperindian II
    Indy Eagles
    Gold Rush
    Bust Caps

    Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
    Copperindian
    Nickelodeon
    Early Walkers

    Successful transactions: Eagle Eye, redraider, winesteven, renomedphys, splitaces, oreville, ajaan, Cent1225, onlyroosies, justindan, blitzdude, DesertMoon, johnnyb, Heubschgold, SunshineRareCoins, ParadimeCoins, ndeagles, Southern_Knights, pcgsregistrycollector, BruceS

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    oldabeintxoldabeintx Posts: 3,220 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Interesting that this type looks attractive at all levels of preservation shown here.

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