1867 $3 MS64+ Certification #37231861, PCGS #7988

CAC. Only 2,600 business strike 1867 Three Dollar gold pieces were made, and this issue saw enough circulation (unlike the low mintages issues from the 1880’s) that high-grade pieces are scarce. There are around 30 known in Uncirculated but nearly all of these are low-end. The 1867 is extremely rare in Gem and there are just four examples known which are finer than this example: PCGS MS65 and MS66, the Bass coin (PCGS MS67+ CAC), and the amazing Akers coin which is now graded PCGS MS68. This piece is extremely frosty with a “look” which is uncommon for this issue. The surfaces are incredibly clean with just a few small ticks seen in the upper left obverse field while the strike is razor sharp. What appear to be hairlines on the reverse are mint-made diagonal die polishing lines which are seen on most 1867 Threes. Purchased from Doug Winter.

David Akers (1975/88)

The 1867 has the second lowest number of total appearances in our auction survey of any Philadelphia Mint three dollar gold piece in the 1860's. Overall, it is 13th in the entire series according to rarity by number of appearances in our 238 catalogue auction survey and tied for 16th with three other dates accordig to rarity by average grade. Although the 1867 is rare in full mint state, I have seen perhaps a half a dozen very choice specimens that graded MS-65 or better. All were fully proof-like and looked deceptively like proofs. However, proofs can be distinguished from proof-like first strike uncs by the position of the date. Business strikes have the date very low in the field, with the left upright serif of the 7 directly below the left foot of the A in DOLLARS. On proofs, the date is slightly higher in the field and more to the right, with the upright serif of the 7 centered below the middle of the A.

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Ron Guth

In January 2014, Heritage sold an 1867 $3 Gold piece in PCGS MS67 for a whopping $141,000, setting a new record for this date.  This particular coin had been held for decades by David Akers, the late author, researcher, and gold specialist who had a special penchant for $1 and $3 gold pieces.  In 1990, Akers paid an amazing $100,000 for this coin, thus his return on investment was not so impressive for such a long interval of time, but the price he paid in 1990 gives some indication of how much competition he had back then, and how much he really wanted this coin.  Akers was never shy about paying top dollar for great coins, and he considered this one of the most important "Threes" of all time.