1869 United States 3 Cent Value

Depending on how well it survived, a 1869 United States 3 Cent brings anywhere from its melt value to well into four figures. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.

Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.

1869 United States 3 Cent value by grade

1869 United States 3 Cent value by grade
GradeEstimated value

Estimated retail range. 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 1869 United States 3 Cent worth today?

Pricing for the 1869 United States 3 Cent depends on grade and current collector demand.

1869 United States 3 Cent specifications

Series
United States Coinage
Year
1869
Mint mark
None (Philadelphia)
Mintage
Not recorded
Composition
Nickel
Diameter
19 mm

Why this coin has no mint mark

Philadelphia struck the 1869 United States 3 Cent, and Philadelphia coins of this period carry no mint mark at all. An empty space at the usual mint mark position (see the series guide) confirms a Philadelphia strike, not a flaw.

Why the 1869 United States 3 Cent is worth money

Documented examples of the 1869 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.

There is history in a 1869 United States Coinage as well. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.

1869 United States 3 Cent inscriptions & design

Obverse

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1869

Liberty hd. l.

Reverse

III

value within wreath

Measured 1869 United States 3 Cent specimens

3 physically measured 1869 United States 3 Cent examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the g, 19 mm minting standard.

Measured 1869 United States 3 Cent specimens
SpecimenWeightDiameterDie axisReferences
1869 United States 3 Cent #1-19 mm-Judd.676, Adams.Woodin.815, Pollock.755
1869 United States 3 Cent #2---Breen.2957
1869 United States 3 Cent #3---Breen.2420

Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.