1873 Open 3 Proof

Proof three-dollar pieces dated 1873 with the Open 3 logotype represent the second of two date punches used at Philadelphia during the calendar year, struck after Mint Director Henry Linderman ordered the original date recut in early 1873. Linderman had complained that the Closed 3 punch produced a numeral whose tightly curled knobs read confusingly as an 8 at the small denomination size, and the corrective Open 3 punch was put into service for both regular-issue dies and the proof dies prepared for cabinet collectors. The Mint's annual statement does not break out a separate proof figure for the Open 3 variant, and the site mintage field remains empty for that reason; specialists working from die-survey data and long-term auction tracking estimate roughly twenty-five Open 3 proofs survive in collectible condition, making this the later and somewhat scarcer of the two 1873 proof marriages.

Authentication begins at the date itself, which is the primary diagnostic separating this issue from the Closed 3 proof. Under 5x magnification the upper and lower curls of the 3 should display a clear gap at their tips, producing a numeral that reads cleanly as a 3 even at arm's length; the Closed 3 punch shows the curls nearly touching and produces the squat ball-shaped profile that prompted Linderman's intervention. Beyond the variant attribution, deeply mirrored fields should extend fully to the rim and meet the denticles at a sharp right angle, set against frosted Princess and Type 2 large DOLLARS wreath devices. Prooflike business strikes break up before reaching the rim. Weight should fall at 5.015 grams on a calibrated balance. Pedigree functions as authentication at this rarity tier, since virtually every legitimate Open 3 proof traces through a documented cabinet such as Bass, Eliasberg, or Pittman.

For collectors, the 1873 Open 3 proof appeals to two overlapping audiences: proof three-dollar specialists building a complete date run, and variety enthusiasts who track both 1873 logotypes as separate entries. Properly attributed examples in original surfaces command meaningful premiums, and certification by PCGS or NGC with the Open 3 designation is essentially required given the volume of attribution disputes in the broader 1873 marketplace. See the full Three-Dollar Gold series history.