1870 Indian Princess Three Dollar

About This Coin

The 1870 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. 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.