Numismatic

1861 Three Cent Silver VF

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In 1861, the United States Mint produced a remarkably tiny silver coin. Carrying a face value of three cents, this specific issue represents the smallest and lightest silver denomination ever created by the nation's minting facilities. Its diminutive size makes it an extraordinary marvel of nineteenth-century minting technology. The design of this piece, created by James B. Longacre, is categorized as a Type III variety. On this version, a single delicate line traces the outer edge of the prominent six-pointed star on the obverse. The coin's inscriptions include the year 1861 alongside the country of origin, while the reverse displays the Roman numeral III to indicate its three-cent denomination. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint without a mint mark, this coin is composed of 90 percent silver, containing just 0.0193 troy ounces of precious metal. Surviving today in Very Fine condition, it serves as a fascinating tangible connection to the early days of American federal coinage.