1855 Indian Princess Three Dollar

About This Coin

The 1855 Indian Princess Three Dollar is a United States dollar from the Indian Princess Three Dollars 1854-1889 series. The obverse features a female figure wearing a feathered headdress, representing Liberty in the guise of a Native American princess, similar to but distinct from the gold dollar design, while the reverse displays a wreath of tobacco, wheat, corn, and cotton enclosing the denomination 3 DOLLARS and date. Designed by James Barton Longacre. Struck in 90% gold, 10% copper, weighing 5.02 grams, 20.5 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Produced at the Philadelphia and San Francisco Mints. The Three Dollar gold piece is one of the most unusual denominations in U.S. coinage, introduced in 1854 ostensibly to facilitate purchasing sheets of three-cent stamps. The denomination never achieved practical utility and was eventually discontinued in 1889. A challenging series with many low-mintage dates. The 1870-S is a legendary rarity (unique). Proof-only dates and the overall scarcity of the denomination make it a prestige series for gold specialists.