1873 $1 Liberty Head Gold MS-63 NGC (Open 3)

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In 1873, the Philadelphia Mint produced a run of 123,300 gold dollars, a release that included a notable variety known to numismatists as the Open 3. This tiny coin, containing 0.0484 troy ounces of gold with a purity of 90 percent, represents a fascinating moment in United States coinage. The example highlighted here has survived in remarkable condition, certified by professional graders at Mint State 63 (MS-63), preserving its delicate features for modern observers to study. The obverse of this one-dollar coin displays the classic Liberty Head design, a profile that came to define an era of American gold currency. On the reverse, the denomination is clearly marked as 1 DOLLAR, accompanied by the year 1873, where the spacing of the final digit distinguishes it as the Open 3 variety. Because it was struck at the main mint facility in Philadelphia, the coin carries no mint mark, leaving the clean fields of the design to speak for themselves.