How to Identify the Three-Dollar Gold Piece
A unique U.S. denomination struck from 1854 to 1889, identified by a Native American princess portrait on the obverse and an agricultural wreath encircling the value on the reverse.
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What It Is
The Three-Dollar gold piece is one of the more unusual denominations issued by the United States Mint, produced from 1854 to 1889. It was designed by James B. Longacre, partly to make it easier to purchase sheets of three-cent stamps in bulk and to work conveniently in commerce alongside the gold dollar.
Obverse Design
The obverse shows an allegorical portrait of Liberty depicted as a Native American princess, wearing a headdress of feathers with a band reading "LIBERTY." "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" wraps around the border, and the date sits below the portrait.
Reverse Design & Inscriptions
The reverse features a wreath made up of tobacco leaves, wheat, corn, and cotton — a design meant to represent American agriculture — surrounding the denomination "3 DOLLARS."
Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge
The coin weighs 5.015 grams (77.4 grains), is struck in .900 fine gold, measures 20.5 mm in diameter, and has a reeded edge.
Mint Marks and Where to Find Them
The mint mark, when present, is located on the reverse below the wreath, near the bottom rim. Coins may show "O" (New Orleans), "S" (San Francisco), "D" (Dahlonega, 1854 only), or "C" (Charlotte, 1854 only); no mint mark indicates Philadelphia. The 1854-D is the only Three-Dollar gold piece struck at Dahlonega and is a notable key date.
Telling It Apart From Similar Coins
The denomination and design are unique — no other U.S. coin carries this face value, and the agricultural wreath on the reverse combined with the feathered Liberty portrait make it easy to identify at a glance. Because of its small size, it can be superficially mistaken for a gold dollar at first glance, but the "3 DOLLARS" inscription and larger 20.5 mm diameter set it apart immediately.
Judging Condition at a Glance
Look at Liberty's hair and the tips of the feathers in her headdress, along with the highest leaves and kernels in the wreath on the reverse, for the earliest signs of wear.
Authenticity Red Flags
Given the coin's distinctive and relatively low-mintage status in many years, verify weight and diameter carefully, and inspect any mint-marked example — especially the scarce 1854-D and 1854-C issues — for signs of an added or altered mint mark below the wreath. A mint mark that looks flat, oddly positioned, or shows file marks around it should be examined by a specialist before assuming it is genuine.
Frequently asked questions
Why was a three-dollar gold coin made in the first place?
It was intended partly to make it convenient to buy sheets of three-cent postage stamps and to fit conveniently alongside the gold dollar in commerce.
Where is the mint mark on this coin?
On the reverse, below the wreath near the bottom rim.
What makes the 1854-D Three-Dollar gold piece special?
It is the only year the Dahlonega mint struck this denomination, making it one of the key dates in the series.
Could this coin be confused with a gold dollar?
At a glance perhaps, due to similar gold color, but its 20.5 mm diameter is larger than a gold dollar and it plainly reads '3 DOLLARS' on the reverse.