1885 3CN (Regular Strike)

Series: Liberty Head Three Cent Nickels 1865-1889

PCGS MS67

PCGS MS67

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PCGS MS66+

PCGS MS66+

PCGS MS66+

PCGS MS66+

PCGS #:
3753
Designer:
James Barton Longacre
Edge:
Plain
Diameter:
17.90 millimeters
Weight:
1.94 grams
Mintage:
1,000
Mint:
Philadelphia
Metal:
75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Major Varieties

Current Auctions - PCGS Graded
Current Auctions - NGC Graded
For Sale Now at Collectors Corner - PCGS Graded
For Sale Now at Collectors Corner - NGC Graded

Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More

Grades Survival
Estimate
Numismatic
Rarity
Relative Rarity
By Type
Relative Rarity
By Series
All Grades 600 R-5.8 3 / 23 TIE 3 / 23 TIE
60 or Better 125 R-7.7 3 / 23 TIE 3 / 23 TIE
65 or Better 60 R-8.4 4 / 23 4 / 23
Survival Estimate
All Grades 600
60 or Better 125
65 or Better 60
Numismatic Rarity
All Grades R-5.8
60 or Better R-7.7
65 or Better R-8.4
Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type
All Grades 3 / 23 TIE
60 or Better 3 / 23 TIE
65 or Better 4 / 23
Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series
All Grades 3 / 23 TIE
60 or Better 3 / 23 TIE
65 or Better 4 / 23

Condition Census What Is This?

Pos Grade Image Pedigree and History
1 PCGS MS67

“The Bruce Scher #1 All-Time PCGS Registry Set,” Heritage Auctions, February 24, 2005, Lot 4020 – $19,118.75; "The TDP Collection"; "The tompet38 Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Gold toning spot above ear. Golden toning that is more intense on the reverse.

1 PCGS MS67
3 PCGS MS66+

Heritage Auctions, November 1, 2013, Lot 3526 – $21,150; Stack’s Bowers, August 2020, Lot 1169 – Passed. Dappled olive toning. Faint diagonal tick on cheek. Thin diagonal mark across center of the second Roman numeral.

3 PCGS MS66+
5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, June 9, 2016, Lot 4308 – $16,450.  Streaks of gold and peach toning grace the obverse. The reverse echoes these hues but adds shades of muted aubergine, with a small toning spot located to the right of the numeral "5." On the reverse, a faint toning spot is also visible near the denticles at the 3 o’clock position.

5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, June 4, 2015, Lot 3805 – $16,450. Light spotting in the upper obverse field and over the hair and coronet. Faint diagonal line where Liberty's nose meets her cheek. 

5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2010, Lot 2452 – $29,900. Toning spot below I of AMERICA.

5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, March 28, 2009, Lot 433 – $18,975. Lintmark under T of UNITED. Denticles absent from 10 o'clock to about 2 o'clock. Beads poorly defined or absent for much of the reverse. Centers are sharply struck.

5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, September 22, 2005, Lot 1326 – $17,250. Rattler.

5 PCGS MS66

“The Western Hills Collection,” Heritage Auctions, June 2, 2005, Lot 5385 – $16,100. Two toning spots to the right of the date. Thin Streak across the bottom of UNI.

5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, May 4, 2005, Lot 5770 – $16,100. Small planchet flake in the hair above Liberty's eye.

5 PCGS MS66
5 PCGS MS66
5 PCGS MS66
5 PCGS MS66
#1 PCGS MS67

“The Bruce Scher #1 All-Time PCGS Registry Set,” Heritage Auctions, February 24, 2005, Lot 4020 – $19,118.75; "The TDP Collection"; "The tompet38 Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Gold toning spot above ear. Golden toning that is more intense on the reverse.

#1 PCGS MS67
#3 PCGS MS66+

Heritage Auctions, November 1, 2013, Lot 3526 – $21,150; Stack’s Bowers, August 2020, Lot 1169 – Passed. Dappled olive toning. Faint diagonal tick on cheek. Thin diagonal mark across center of the second Roman numeral.

#3 PCGS MS66+
#5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, June 9, 2016, Lot 4308 – $16,450.  Streaks of gold and peach toning grace the obverse. The reverse echoes these hues but adds shades of muted aubergine, with a small toning spot located to the right of the numeral "5." On the reverse, a faint toning spot is also visible near the denticles at the 3 o’clock position.

#5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, June 4, 2015, Lot 3805 – $16,450. Light spotting in the upper obverse field and over the hair and coronet. Faint diagonal line where Liberty's nose meets her cheek. 

#5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2010, Lot 2452 – $29,900. Toning spot below I of AMERICA.

#5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, March 28, 2009, Lot 433 – $18,975. Lintmark under T of UNITED. Denticles absent from 10 o'clock to about 2 o'clock. Beads poorly defined or absent for much of the reverse. Centers are sharply struck.

#5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, September 22, 2005, Lot 1326 – $17,250. Rattler.

#5 PCGS MS66

“The Western Hills Collection,” Heritage Auctions, June 2, 2005, Lot 5385 – $16,100. Two toning spots to the right of the date. Thin Streak across the bottom of UNI.

#5 PCGS MS66

Heritage Auctions, May 4, 2005, Lot 5770 – $16,100. Small planchet flake in the hair above Liberty's eye.

#5 PCGS MS66
#5 PCGS MS66
#5 PCGS MS66
#5 PCGS MS66
Charles Morgan:

For the third consecutive year, the Philadelphia Mint struck more Proof Three-Cent Nickels in 1885 than circulation issues. Following a million-coin mintage in 1881, additional emissions of this outmoded, "oddball" denomination became largely unnecessary. The paltry mintage of just 1,000 circulation strikes in 1885 feels even more minuscule when considering its total face value of only $30.

Of this original mintage, PCGS has likely certified the lion's share of extant Mint State examples. According to the PCGS Population Report, Mint State specimens account for nearly 40% of the total number of coins certified. While this high ratio may indicate that a significant quantity of circulated coins have not yet been submitted for grading, historical context suggests a more likely reason: the official recall of the series. When Congress discontinued the denomination after the 1889 release, the Treasury Department was instructed to withdraw the coin type from circulation and melt them for recoining. Assuming that approximately $2.40 to $2.70 in face value was saved in Mint State, and another $3.00 to $3.60 survived in various circulated grades, it is reasonable to conclude that the remainder of the original $30.00 face value emission was likely returned to the Mint and melted down. This melting of obsolete, unwanted coins may also explain why the 1884 issue (PCGS #3752)—despite its higher mintage of 1,700—survives at a much lower rate than expected.

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