I have a thing about 3 cent coins, maybe along the lines that Nohope has about the 2 centers. I have several of them from 1865 on up, but always wanted the last year of them - 1889. The 1889's are fairly easy to find nice BU or Proof examples of, it being the last year a lot of them were saved by collectors. In fact 18,125 coins were minted in total - a small mintage - but actually quite a bit more than any other date since the 1881. Because of the curiosity surrounding the coins not many of them actually made it into circulation as circulated examples are rather far an' in betwixt to find.
This is one of the few, the proud, the ones that served their country dutifully probably into the very early 20th century. Like the 2 cent coins, they were never overly popular, but as money they did see some circulation long after they were issued, particularly in rural areas of the country. My grandfather got a 2 cent piece from his brother when he was six years old in 1897 and kept it until he gave it to me when I was a young boy in the 1970's.
