1862 United States 3 Cent Value
A 1862 United States 3 Cent is worth roughly $0.80 to $8.63 depending on its condition. Its intrinsic melt value stands at $0.80 based on spot prices from 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1862 United States 3 Cent value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $0.80 |
| Good (G-4) | $0.80 to $0.96 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $0.80 to $0.99 |
| Fine (F-12) | $0.80 to $1.04 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $0.80 to $1.10 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $0.88 to $1.25 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1.09 to $1.53 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $1.49 to $2.11 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $2.38 to $3.35 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $6.11 to $8.63 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
How much is a 1862 United States 3 Cent worth today?
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $0.80. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $8.63 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1862 United States 3 Cent can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1862 United States 3 Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1862
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 0.756 g
- Diameter
- 14 mm
- Silver content
- 0.02188 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1862 United States 3 Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (check the usual position for this series), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
The value drivers behind this coin
Documented examples of the 1862 United States 3 Cent in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
Every 1862 United States 3 Cent contains 0.0219 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $0.80. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Context adds the final layer to the 1862 United States 3 Cent. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
1862 United States 3 Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / (date)
Shield within six pointed star
Reverse
C / III
Value surrounded by 13 stars
Measured 1862 United States 3 Cent specimens
2 physically measured 1862 United States 3 Cent examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 0.756 g, 14 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1862 United States 3 Cent #1 | - | - | - | Breen.2937 |
| 1862 United States 3 Cent #2 | 0.756 g | 14 mm | 6 h | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1862 United States 3 Cent is valued between $0.80 and $8.63 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.