$4,406.80 / troy oz
Spot as of Sep 6, 2026 10:05 PM · $1 move in gold changes this coin by $0.15
Melt / coin$639.51
Gold spot$4,406.80
AGW0.14512 oz
Gross weight5.015 g
Fineness90%
Gross troy oz0.1612
Coins / oz6.89
What this coin is
The Indian Head $3 (1854-1889) is a gold coin of the United States. This page is for the type × composition — every date and mint of this issue has the same metal if the weight and fineness match the spec below. Melt is that metal times today’s spot, not a collector or dealer bid.
What is written on the coin
Read the denomination, the date, and the country name on the coin. People often search the words actually stamped on the piece (for example DOS PESOS or VEINTE PESOS on Mexican gold). Those words are indexed on this site.
Metal content (the melt spec)
Mint specification: 5.0150 grams at 90% fine, which is 0.14512 troy oz of pure gold (AGW). Formula: grams × fineness ÷ 31.1034768. Date and mintmark do not change that number. Melt today is $639.51 per coin at $4,406.80 gold.
Mintage
Mintage varies by date. We do not publish a year-by-year mintage table here because melt is the same for this composition. A scarce date or a high grade can be worth more than melt; a common worn piece is often near melt.
A little history
This listing is a gold-library type used by coin shops. Confirm the name on the coin matches this page before you use the melt figure.
How to tell you have this type
Match denomination, metal color, and date range. If two compositions share a design (for example 90% vs clad), the date or the edge (solid silver vs copper stripe) decides which page to use.
Date and mintmark do not change the metal on this page. Collector value is a different market — see Sold Comps for sold prices.
Before you sell
Check dates and condition first
Read the date and mintmark. A common $20 in low grade may be close to melt. A scarce mint or a high grade is a collector coin.
Melt is the metal floor. For auction and eBay solds on the same type, see Sold Comps. We list 355 melt values; collector premiums are a different market.
Quick amounts
Using $4,406.80 gold.
| You have | Pure oz | Melt |
|---|---|---|
| 1 coin | 0.1451 | $639.51 |
| 10 coins | 1.4512 | $6,395.15 |
| 20 coins | 2.9024 | $12,790.30 |
Gold chart
Where gold has been.
Melt alert
Email me if this coin’s melt crosses a number I set.
Related types
Same metal, nearby coins.
Indian Head (Type Three) Gold Dollar (1856-1889)
· 0.04837 AGW
$213.16
Indian Head (Type Two) Gold Dollar (1854-1856)
· 0.04837 AGW
$213.16
Indian Head $10 (1907-1933)
· 0.48375 AGW
$2,131.79
Indian Head $2.50 (1908-1929)
· 0.12094 AGW
$532.96
Indian Head $5 (1908-1929)
· 0.24187 AGW
$1,065.87
Liberty Head (Type One) Gold Dollar (1849-1854)
· 0.04837 AGW
$213.16
Classic Head $2.50 Quarter Eagle (1834-1839)
· 0.12094 AGW
$532.96
Classic Head $5 Half Eagle (1834-1838)
· 0.24187 AGW
$1,065.87
Questions people ask
How much pure gold is in a Indian Head $3 (1854-1889)?
Mint spec is 5.015 grams at 90% fine, which is 0.14512 troy oz of pure gold (AGW). Date and mintmark do not change that.
What is a Indian Head $3 (1854-1889) worth in melt today?
At gold spot of $4,406.80 per troy oz, one coin’s melt is $639.51. Multiply by how many you have. A rare date or a nice grade can sell for more than melt.
How many Indian Head $3 (1854-1889)s equal one ounce of gold?
About 6.89 coins equal 1.00 troy oz of pure gold at mint weight.
Does mintmark change the melt value?
No. A Philadelphia, Denver, or San Francisco coin of this type has the same metal. Melt is type × composition, not date or mintmark.
Is melt what I should sell this Indian Head $3 (1854-1889) for?
US gold often trades as both bullion and collector coin. Common later dates can sit near melt; early dates and nice grade usually do not. Read the date and mintmark. A common $20 in low grade may be close to melt. A scarce mint or a high grade is a collector coin.
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