1876 $3 Gold. Sharpness of EF-45 but repaired on the reverse and polished. This is one of just 45 struck in Proof, there were no coins produced for circulation. Somehow, this coin was chosen for some sort of adornment, it may have been mounted at the central reverse as the remnants of a ring are visible inside the wreath. The mounting was removed and the area of the date and denomination has been smoothed and polished. As noted in Breen, of the few known, at least 7-8 are impaired, so this isn't all that unusual for the issue. The obverse appears to be a circulated proof, with a number of minor marks in the fields and on the devices. This is not a coin that the grading services will "grade", but it is an important rarity that is seldom offered. A coin that deserves to be inspected and is worth a bid, if displayed obverse up, the damage is not detectable. Better than we make it sound.
