A three-cent coin may look odd today, but in the 1850s and 1860s it made real sense: the price of a postage stamp was three cents, and three cents then had roughly the buying power of 50 to 75 cents today. Two different three-cent coins were made. The tiny silver three-cent piece, or “trime,” appeared in 1851, and a larger copper-nickel three-cent piece followed in 1865 during the coin shortage of the Civil War era.
The Coinage Act of 1873 eliminated the silver three-cent piece (along with the two-cent piece and the silver half dime), while the nickel three-cent piece survived until 1889, usually with very low mintages after 1875. Both are short, collectible series with several genuine rarities.
We actively buy both silver and nickel three-cent pieces in every grade. Send photos for a free, no-obligation offer. Info@Coinappraiser.com