Three-cent bronze

American coin

95% copper
5% tin and zinc

Years of minting1863Catalog numberJudd-319, Pollock 384Obverse

DesignLiberty with braided hairDesignerChristian GobrechtDesign date1863Reverse

DesignDenomination surrounded by a wreathDesign date1863

The three-cent bronze was a pattern coin struck in 1863 by George Eckfeldt.^[1] The coin shares its obverse design (other than the font of the date, which is smaller and curved), thickness, and diameter with that of the Braided Hair large cent, but was made of bronze rather than pure copper. Weighing 140 grains, it weighed nearly three times that of the bronze Indian Head cent.^[2] About 50 to 60 examples are known.^[1]

The obverse features an image of Liberty.

History

Throughout 1863, the coins were struck on planchets of varying thickness. According to Eckfeldt's journal:

Struck a few 3 cent pieces of copper & zinc; the size, thickness and diameter about that of the 1857 copper cent. About the middle of 1863.^[1]

Other versions

An aluminum version (Judd-320, Pollock-385) was made using a very similar design. However, examples are extremely rare with only 5 confirmed.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "J319/P384". US Patterns. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
^ "1863 3C Three Cents, Judd-319 Original, Pollock-384, R.5, PR65 : Lot #3937". Heritage Auctions. Retrieved 15 March 2016.

Circulating coinage of the United States

Half cent (5₥)

Nova Constellatio^x (1783)
Liberty Cap (1793–1797)
Draped Bust (1800–1808)
Classic Head (1809–1836)
Braided Hair (1840–1857)

Large cent and
penny (1¢)

Fugio (Franklin) (1787)
Silver center^x (1792)
Chain (1793)
Wreath (1793)
Liberty Cap (1793–1796)
Draped Bust (1796–1807)
Classic Head (1808–1814)
Matron Head (1816–1839)
Braided Hair (1839–1857, 1868)
Ring^x (1850–1851, 1853, 1884–1885)
Flying Eagle (1856–1858, patterns struck in 1854–1855)
Indian Head (1859–1909, patterns struck in 1858)
Lincoln (1909–present)

Two cents (2¢)

Billon^x (1836)
Bronze (1864–1873, patterns struck in 1863)

Three cents (3¢)

Silver (1851–1873)
Bronze (Coronet Head)^x (1863)
Nickel (Liberty Head) (1865–1889)

Half dime and
nickel (5¢)

Half disme (1792)
Flowing Hair (1794–1795)
Draped Bust (1796–1797, 1800–1805)
Capped Bust (1829–1837)
Washington^x (1866; 1909–1910)
Seated Liberty (1837–1873)
Shield (1866–1883)
Liberty Head (1883–1913)
Buffalo (Indian Head) (1913–1938)
Jefferson (1938–present)

Dime (10¢)

Nova Constellatio^x (1783)
Disme^x (1792)
Draped Bust (1796–1807)
Capped Bust (1809–1837)
Seated Liberty (1837–1891)
Barber (1892–1916)
Mercury (1916–1945)
Roosevelt (1946–present)

Twenty cents (20¢)

Seated Liberty (1875–1878)

Quarter (25¢)

Draped Bust (1796–1807)
Capped Bust (1815–1838)
Seated Liberty (1838–1891)
Barber (1892–1916)
Standing Liberty (1916–1930)
Washington (eagle reverse) (1932–1998)
Washington (bicentennial) (1975–1976)
Washington (50 State) (1999–2008)
Washington (D.C. and U.S. Territories) (2009)
Washington (America the Beautiful) (2010–2021)
Washington (crossing the Delaware reverse) (2021)
Washington (American Women) (2022–2025)
Washington (Semiquincentennial) (2026)
Washington (youth sports) (2027–2030)

Half dollar (50¢)

Nova Constellatio^x (1783)
Flowing Hair (1794–1795)
Draped Bust (1796–1807)
Capped Bust (1807–1839)
Seated Liberty (1839–1891)
Barber (1892–1915)
Walking Liberty (1916–1947)
Franklin (1948–1963)
Kennedy^c (1964–present)
Kennedy (bicentennial) (1975–1976)

Dollar ($1)

Continental Currency (Fugio or Franklin)^x (1776)
Nova Constellatio^x (1783)
Flowing Hair (1794–1795)
Draped Bust (1795–1804)
Gobrecht^x (1836–1839)
Seated Liberty (1840–1873)
Trade (1873–1885)
Morgan (1878–1904; 1921; 2021–present)
Peace (1921–1935; 2021–present; patterns struck in 1964)
Eisenhower (1971–1978)
Eisenhower (bicentennial) (1975–1976)
Susan B. Anthony (1979–1981; 1999)
Sacagawea^c (2000–present)
Presidential^c (2007–2016; 2020)
American Innovation^c (2018–2032)

Gold

Gold dollar ($1)	Liberty Head (1849–1854) Indian Princess (1854–1889)
Quarter eagle ($2.50)	Draped Bust (1796–1807) Capped Bust (1808–1834) Classic Head (1834–1839) Liberty Head (1840–1907) Indian Head (1908–1929)
Three dollars ($3)	Indian Princess (1854–1889)
Half eagle ($5)	Draped Bust (1795–1807) Capped Bust (1808–1834) Classic Head (1834–1838) Liberty Head (1839–1908) Indian Head (1908–1929)
Eagle ($10)	Capped Bust (1795–1804) Liberty Head (1838–1907) Indian Head (1907–1933)
Double eagle ($20)	Liberty Head (1850–1907, pattern struck in 1849) Quintuple Stella^x (1879) Saint-Gaudens (1907–1933)

Other canceled
denominations

Two and a half cent piece (2.5¢)^x (not minted)
Two dollar piece ($2)^x (not minted)
Stella ($4)^x (1879–1880)
Half union ($50)^x (1877)
Union ($100)^x (not minted)

(italics) Obsolete
^x Canceled
(bold) Currently in production
^c Currently produced for collectors only
(bold and italics) Planned but production not commenced

Canceled United States currency and coinage

Topics

Coins

Silver center cent (1792)
Ring cent (1850–1851, 1853, 1884-1885)
Two-cent billon (1836)
Two and a half cent piece (not minted)
Three-cent bronze (1863)
Ring nickel (1884-1885)
Two dollar piece (not minted)

Gold coins	Stella (1879–1880) Half union (1877) Union (not minted)

Currency

United States three-dollar bill

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Circulating	1¢ 5¢ 10¢ 25¢ 50¢ $1
Obsolete	1⁄2¢ 1¢ (large size) 2¢ 3¢ (silver) 3¢ (nickel) 5¢ (silver) 20¢ $1 (gold) $2.5 $3 $5 $10 $20
Canceled	2¢ (billon) 2+1⁄2¢ 3¢ (bronze) $2 $4 $50 $100
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