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The name of this coin is "The Indian Princess"
The History Of the 1854 $3 GOLD PIECE INDIAN PRINCESS HEAD COIN:
The $3.00 gold piece was motivated by the flow of gold from the California gold
rush.
The $3.00 gold piece was authorized by the Act of February 21, 1853, with the
coin first struck in 1854.
The head on the obverse represents an Indian princess with hair tightly curling
over the neck, head crowned with a circle of feathers, with the head band
inscribed with 'Liberty'.
A wreath with tobacco, wheat, corn, and cotton is depicted on the reverse. In
the year 1854, the word 'Dollars' appears in much smaller letters on the reverse
of the coin.
Some particular 1854 $3.00 gold piece in mint condition would be appraised at over
$90,000.00
The number of Philadelphia $3.00 gold coins minted was 138,618 so this one
probably would not be worth $90,000.00
More History:
This denomination was authorized by the Act of February 21, 1853 although other
acts proposed coinage of this denomination as early as 1832.
James Barton Longacre prepared the Indian Head design, virtually identical to
the design later used for gold dollars beginning in 1856. This first issue has
small letters in the denomination.
These coins were struck between May 8 and November 10, 1854.
(This coin is apparently from the Philadelphia mint.)
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