1879 $3 Indian Princess (PCGS Vs You)

PF-63 would be my guess.

is that swipe on the reverse on the coin or holder?

i dont think its a proof as there were 18 to 22 known. it does appear to be PL

I'm no expert on gold by a long shot but it looks like some light wear on the high points of the hair and under LIBERTY but it could be not fully struck.

i'll go with MS62PL. I think PCGS has only graded 1 PL at MS63

Not a fan of those sweeping lines on the reverse field to the right. Looks like they interrupt at the devices. So maybe lines on the die?

The 1879 is one of the favorite type coins. The date is a bit more common than the mintage would suggest, and there are quite a few PL/SPL examples out there. That doesn't make them more affordable, because of the type coin demand, but it does say that it shouldn't be a "gotta have it" purchase, because other coins will appear.

I don't know what to think here. Looking at this one with my "semi-retired buyer's agent" hat on, the curved scratches (die polishing? contact?) on the reverse are distracting, and so is the discoloration on the reverse (maybe alloy issues). The rub on the cheek and discoloration in the obverse and reverse fields suggest light circulation. The contacts on the cheek and neck probably would put an UNC in the 62/63 range without the reverse marks, but wouldn't be an issue for an AU-58.

Here are the questions I would ask a buyer:
What is the first thing you notice on the obverse?
How do you feel about the discoloration on the reverse?
Would you question the purchase when you look at the curved scratches (or die polishing) on the reverse down the road, say a year from now?

If your first obverse impression is the PL/SPL appearance, that's positive. If your first impression is the cheek, that's a concern. If the alloy coloration makes you want a coin with more consistent color, take note of that. And if the scratches or polishing on the reverse are what prompted your question about opinions, you won't feel better seeing it down the road.

This isn't a bad coin. If it's a 58, it's nice for the grade. If it's an UNC, there are better ones out there, but at a price. That's a trade-off you know best. If you want something that looks sharp in your type collection, you need to decide whether this coin "fits" your collection or would stand out as a notch lower than the other coins, and you need to be comfortable with the price in light of your budget.

Just some long-winded thoughts here. I like the idea of an 1879 for a type coin. Take some time and look through the others that people have for sale right now. Compare this one to the others, and you may move in one direction or the other. Trust your instincts. You have nice coins and you will know what works for your collection.

So--PCGS calls this MS(63). No PL designation. I like the coin for its contrast. At 63, it seems the consensus here is that it is either fairly graded or slightly overgraded.

I like the coin, and I want to upgrade my own 1855 $3 Indian Princess in a CACG MS(61) holder. My coin is cool, but I am thinking I want one with more contrast.

Update: I inquired about the price of this coin to the dealer--he didn't respond for an entire week, during which he apparently sold it at a show. I wasn't dead set on this particular coin, but I do think this well contrasted, die-polished PL look is what I want to go for. I have a nice type coin for this series already in my collection, but I would prefer one with more contrast and "pizzazz" like this one, as opposed to my nice CACed 1855 one.