Three-Cent Silvers (Trimes)

James B. Longacre designed the three-cent silver, or trime, and the coin's origins lie in one of the more practical pieces of legislation Congress ever passed regarding coinage. The Act of March 3, 1851 created the denomination specifically to facilitate the purchase of postage stamps, which had been fixed at three cents since 1845. Before the trime, buying a stamp with a half dime meant getting two cents back in copper, an annoying transaction that post offices handled thousands of times a day. Longacre, who had been Chief Engraver since 1844, produced a small coin with an unusual obverse: a six-pointed star with a federal shield at its center, surrounded by the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The reverse carried the Roman numeral III inside a large C-shaped ornament. The design was unlike anything else in the American series, deliberately so. The coin was tiny, just 14 millimeters in diameter, the smallest coin the Mint had ever produced, and the distinctive star motif made it immediately identifiable despite its size.

1851–1873 Years struck

48 Date / variety entries

Philadelphia, New Orleans Mints

Track your progress on this series

Key date Semi-key Variety Proof Regular

Date	Variety	Mintage	Price Guide Estimates							Classification	CK #
Date	Variety	Mintage	G	VG	F	VF	EF	AU	MS	Classification	CK #
1851	—	5,447,400	$35	$40	$48	$61	$81	$135	$189	REGULAR	CK-874
1851-O	—	720,000	$53	$61	$74	$106	$163	$305	$560	SEMI-KEY	CK-876
1852	—	18,663,500	$35	$40	$48	$61	$81	$135	$189	REGULAR	CK-877
1853	—	11,400,000	$35	$40	$48	$61	$81	$135	$189	REGULAR	CK-879
1854	—	671,000	$46	$53	$57	$77	$116	$183	$285	SEMI-KEY	CK-880
1855	—	139,000	$61	$81	$94	$126	$183	$325	$515	KEY	CK-883
1856	—	1,458,000	$46	$53	$57	$68	$101	$189	$295	REGULAR	CK-885
1857	—	1,042,000	$46	$53	$57	$68	$101	$189	$295	REGULAR	CK-887
1858	—	1,604,000	$46	$53	$57	$68	$101	$189	$295	REGULAR	CK-888
1859	—	365,000	$46	$53	$57	$61	$74	$142	$183	REGULAR	CK-890
1860	—	287,000	$46	$53	$57	$61	$74	$142	$183	REGULAR	CK-892
1861	—	498,000	$43	$46	$53	$61	$74	$142	$176	REGULAR	CK-895
1862	—	343,000	$43	$46	$53	$61	$74	$142	$176	REGULAR	CK-897
1862	2 Over 1	—	$46	$53	$61	$81	$94	$155	$196	VARIETY	CK-898
1863	—	21,000	$415	$435	$470	$515	$605	$810	$1,135	KEY	CK-900
1864	—	12,000	$415	$435	$490	$515	$605	$735	$940	KEY	CK-903
1865	—	8,000	$415	$435	$450	$515	$650	$875	$1,350	KEY	CK-912
1866	—	22,000	$415	$435	$470	$535	$650	$875	$1,290	KEY	CK-921
1867	—	4,000	$415	$435	$450	$515	$690	$940	$1,350	KEY	CK-926
1868	—	3,500	$560	$650	$810	$1,090	$1,470	$2,005	$3,655	KEY	CK-934
1869	9 Over 8	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	VARIETY	CK-941
1870	—	3,000	$360	$415	$435	$515	$625	$770	$940	KEY	CK-944
1871	—	3,400	$360	$415	$435	$535	$770	$845	$875	KEY	CK-950
1872	—	1,000	$560	$650	$715	$990	$1,410	$2,005	$2,230	KEY	CK-956

1851 1851-O 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1862 2 Over 1 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 9 Over 8 1870 1871 1872

Date	Variety	Mintage	Price Guide Estimates							Classification	CK #
Date	Variety	Mintage	G (PR)	VG (PR)	F (PR)	VF (PR)	EF (PR)	AU (PR)	MS (PR)	Classification	CK #
1851	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-875
1852	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-878
1854	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-881
1855	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-882
1856	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-884
1857	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-886
1858	—	210	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-889
1859	—	800	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-891
1860	—	1,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-893
1861	—	1,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-894
1862	—	550	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-896
1863	—	460	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-899
1863	3 Over 2	460	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-901
1864	—	470	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-902
1865	—	500	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-910
1866	—	725	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-920
1867	—	625	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-925
1868	—	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-929
1869	—	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	$790	KEY	CK-935
1869	9 Over 8	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-940
1870	—	1,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-942
1871	—	960	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-953
1872	—	950	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-959
1873	—	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	$2,060	KEY	CK-960

1851 1852 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1863 3 Over 2 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1869 9 Over 8 1870 1871 1872 1873