1855-S Three Dollar Gold Piece - Proof

A remarkable coin that shouldn't exist. Reportedly bought over the counter by California dealer David Stagg from the veritable "little old lady." The coin then passed thru the hands of dealer John Dannreuther and collector Jimmy Hayes before it ended up as Lot 881 of Auction '84. It is presently graded as a Branch Mint Proof in a PCGS PRBM-63 holder. This date is scarce in any grade and prohibitively rare in AU or better, putting this Branch Mint Proof specimen quite literally in a class all by itself.

Why this coin was struck will probably be forever open to speculation. Unquestionably a special striking, there are no records of any others in existence. The late Walter Breen, in his 1987 book Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins, noted a second specimen in "a private collection," but that coin has not surfaced to this day.

Read the story of the 1854-89 THREE DOLLAR GOLD PIECE