1861 Silver Three Cent Piece
Base
About This Coin
The 1861 Silver Three Cent Piece is a United States cent from the Silver Three Cent Pieces 1851-1873 series — 11th of 23 years in the series. In 1861, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 498,000. This ranks 15th of 23 years by total mintage, above the series median of 139,050. 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. Produced during the Civil War, when coin hoarding caused severe shortages and the Mint experimented with new compositions to keep coins in circulation. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 0.75 grams, 14.3 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Across its variants, estimated values range from $66 to $998 depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $22K in MS68 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by James Barton Longacre.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
Specifications
Strike Types & Varieties(2)
1861 Proof Silver Three Cent Piece
1861 Silver Three Cent Piece
Other Base Coins in This Series
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