The first year of issue and a special rarity in the Proof Three Cent Silver Series. With a mintage of just 4, the assumed purpose for production is to commemorate the start of this new denomination.
| coinage-type | Three cent silver |
| desg | PR |
| designer | James B. Longacre |
| diameter | 14 |
| edge | Plain |
| fineness | 0.9 |
| material | 0.9 silver; 0.1 copper |
| mintage | 1 |
| ngc-id | 27BW |
| obverse-description | A six-pointed star with a harp in the center is surrounded by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on the periphery and the date positioned at the bottom. For the type I issues (1851-53) there is no frame line around the star. |
| pcgs-link | 3696 |
| pcgs-number | 3696 |
| reverse-description | The roman numeral III is centered in the design ensconced in a large, bejeweled letter C surrounded by 13 stars on the periphery. |
| weight-grams | 0.75 |
| weight-ounces | 0.02646 |
| year-display | 1851-1853 |