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THREE CENTS - SILVER OR TRIME (1851-1873)
FACTS:
3 Cent Silver Facts:
This tiny silver coin is also known as a "Trime" or a "Fish-scale".  The odd denomination is tied to the Postal rates at the time, which were also the justification for the Gold Three-Dollar Coin.  Beginning in 1865, this type overlapped with the Nickel Three Cent Coins and the production of the Trimes decreased gradually until the type was ended in 1873.
Three sub-types exist of the silver Three Cents.  Type 1, issued from 1851 to 1853, shows the obverse star with a single outline. After 1853 two extra outlines were added to the star to signify a reduction in weight, resulting in the Type 2 version that lasted until 1858.  In 1859, one of the extra outlines was dropped, creating the third and final sub-type, the Type 3 version.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Designer: James Barton Longacre

Diameter: 14.3 millimeters

Metal content:
Silver - 75%
Copper - 25%

Weight: 12.4 grains (0.8 grams)

Edge: Plain



Images courtesy of Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc.
Silver 3 Cents 1851-1873
(ebay sponsored links)

1851
1851-O
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1862/1
1863
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1869/8 Proof
1870
1871
1872
1873 Closed 3 Proof

OBVERSE
REVERSE
 
 
Six Sided Star   ®
 
Shield & Outlines  ®
¬   Stars (13)

 
¬   Denomination Roman Numerals

 
¬   "C" Design with geometric shapes

Images courtesy of Early American History Auctions
 
¬   Olive Branch

 
¬   Arrows Bunch

 
¬   Type 2 & 3 reverse

 
¬   Mint mark location only 1851-O

Three Cents
Silver (1851-1873)
Nickel (1865-1889)
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Cherry Picker's List:

1851 The second 1 over an inverted 2
1862 Rare date
1862/1 Over date
1863/2 Over Date
1869/8 Over Date

Key-Semi Key Dates:

1851-O
1855    
1863    
1864    
1865    
1866    
1867    
1868    
1869    
1870 
1871 
1872 


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Date/Mint Mark
Grade
Value
1 Outline Of Star
1851
VG8
$55
1851-O
VG8
$55
1852
VG8
$55
1853
VG8
$55
3 Outlines Of Star
1854
VG8
$55
1855
VG8
$75
1856
VG8
$60
1857
VG8
$55
1858
VG8
$55
2 Outlines Of Star
1859
VG8
$55
1860
VG8
$55
1861
VG8
$55
1862
VG8
$60
1862/1
VG8
$60
1863
VG8
$400
1863/2 Proof only
VG8
$500
1864
VG8
$400
1865
VG8
$450
1866
VG8
$400
1867
VG8
$450
1868
VG8
$450
1869
VG8
$450
1869/8 Proof only
PF63
$2,000
1870
VG8
$450
1871
VG8
$450
1872
VG8
$450
1873 Closed 3 proof only
VG8
$750
The below listed values are for the lowest starting grade. Examples that are higher in grade trade for more, and coins that cleaned, damaged or altered will trade for less.
Date
Mintage
1851
1851-O
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
5,447,400
720,000
18,663,500
11,400,000
671,000
139,000
1,458,000
1,042,000
1,604,000
365,000
286,000
497,000
343,000
21,000
12,000
8,000
22,000
4,000
3,500
4,500
3,000
3,400
1,000
0
All mintages are as recorded by the US Mint and doesn't reflect the amount of coins presently in existence. Coins lost or melted for their metal content, over the years, causes their numbers to decline.