1851 (O) Silver Three Cent Piece
Strike Type
Coin Details
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — estimates reflect typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
Auction Record
$22,800 MS67 08-25-2021 Stack's Bowers
Description
The 1851 (O) Silver Three Cent Piece is a cent produced at the New Orleans Mint as part of the Silver Three Cent Pieces 1851-1873 series. With a mintage of 720,000, this is a less common issue — the scarcer of two mint variants, with 12% of total production. The obverse features a six-pointed star enclosing a Union shield and the reverse displays a Roman numeral III (three) within a large letter C. First year of the Silver Three-Cent Piece, introduced to facilitate purchasing the newly reduced three-cent postage stamps. The 1851-O is the only branch mint issue in the entire series. Struck at the New Orleans Mint, which operated from 1838 to 1909 and produced coins prized for their historical Southern provenance. Estimated market value ranges from $82 to $1.2K depending on grade and condition. Struck in 75% silver, 25% copper, weighing 0.8 grams, 14.3 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Cataloged as PCGS #3665.
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