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HBCC #4011 – 1859 Indian Three-dollar Gold – Obverse HBCC #4011 – 1859 Indian Three-dollar Gold – Reverse
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1859 Indian Three-dollar Gold

HBCC#:
4011
Breen#:
6361
BD#:
n/a
Judd#:
n/a
Pollock#:
n/a

This coin is clearly much rarer than indicated by its mintage, recorded as 80 Proofs. Most likely, a much smaller number were actually distributed with the remainder being melted. Walter Breen suggested that approximately 35 were sold and the rest melted. The date digits are rather oddly or unusually shaped, and some have suggested these were prepared by Anthony C. Paquet. Just five or six Proofs are known today, with this example among the finest. Digits 1 and 9 in the date are repunched.

Provenance:
From Stack's sale of the Massachusetts Historical Society, October 1970, Lot 782.
Obverse:
Reverse:
Commentary:
(adapted): "Obverse: Not used on 1858 Proofs. Head shallowly hubbed, little of J.B.L. present. Shiny speckles (as made) cover face and neck. Reverse: Small numerals, smaller than any preceding. 1 and 9 repunched, evident at ends of bottom serifs of 1 and at top right and back of 9. That at right base of 1 causes 1 to appear to touch the 8. Odd shape of 5 resulted from the lateral repunching of the date. Left ribbon loop opening has lower half frosted, upper half mirrored. Center opening all frosted except for one tiny spot at its apex. Right opening has lower third frosted, remainder mirrored. No clash marks, from ear, below 3, as yet."