How to Identify the Type II Silver Three-Cent Piece

What It Is

The Type II silver three-cent piece was struck from 1854 to 1858, following a change in the coin's design and silver fineness shortly after its introduction. Like other trimes, it was meant for small everyday transactions such as buying postage stamps.

Obverse Design

The obverse still shows a six-pointed star with a small shield at its center and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" around the border with the date below, but the star is now framed by three parallel outlines, a change from the plain, unbordered star used on the original 1851-1853 design.

Reverse Design

The reverse centers on a large Roman numeral "III," but Type II added a bundle of arrows below the scrollwork and an olive branch above it, framing the numeral more elaborately than the earlier design.

Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge

To align the coin with the standard used in other U.S. silver coinage, its fineness was raised to 90% silver and 10% copper starting in 1854, and its weight was reduced slightly to about 0.75 grams. The diameter stayed close to 14mm, with a plain edge.

Mint Marks

Type II three-cent pieces were struck only at the Philadelphia Mint, so genuine examples show no mint mark.

Telling It Apart from Similar Coins

The clearest way to identify a Type II trime is the triple outline surrounding the star on the obverse, which the original 1851-1853 Type I lacks entirely. Type III, produced from 1859 to 1873, looks similar but uses only two outlines around the star instead of three — a subtle but reliable difference once you know to look for it. Comparing the number of lines framing the star is the fastest way to sort a trime into its correct type.

Judging Condition at a Glance

Examine the star's outline for completeness, since the added framing lines are delicate and among the first details to wear away. On the reverse, check the arrows and olive branch bundle for separation from the scrollwork, along with the sharpness of the numeral itself.

Authenticity Red Flags

Given the coin's small size, watch for star outlines that look added or engraved after striking rather than raised naturally as part of the coin's original design, and for dates that seem inconsistent with the expected 1854-1858 range for this type. Unusually soft, blurred details across the whole coin can indicate a cast counterfeit rather than a genuine struck piece.