Mintage: 60,000                                                                     Proofs: No Proofs Known With Open 3

Scarcity: This variety is more available than the stated mintage would suggest.  Greer indicates that "Open 3 examples 
represent approximately one out of five 1873 No Arrows available.  The Open 3 variety however, is rare in Mint State.
 
Updated Greer Rarity Ratings
Overall Rarity: G-VG R2+, F-VF R3, EF-AU R3+, MS R6-

                                Fortin Variety Rarity Estimates In VF - Mint State

Comments: Obverse 3, with a medium level date, is much more difficult to locate than either Obverse 1 and 2. 
The striking quality of the Open 3 obverses can vary, but fully struck examples can be located with patience.  
Open 3 examples can occasionally be cherry picked at Closed 3 prices.  As a result of the general availability 
of Open 3 dimes,  one must begin to question the historically stated mintage of 60,000.  The existence of three 
obverse dies and two Obverse 1 die marriages with the progressive degradation of the second reverse marriage, 
suggest that the Redbook mintage of 60,000 pieces in understated.  A more reasonable mintage estimate could be 
in the range 150,00 to 250,000.

1873 No Arrow dimes are found with Open and Closed 3 digits.  This difference came about in early in 1873, before 
and after the omnibus Mintage Act of February 12, 1873 which attempted to introduce metric weights for United States 
coinage.  An article in the October 10, 2005 issue of Coin World provides ample insight into the historical background 
for Open and Closed 3 date seated dimes.  Within the Coin World article, Eric von Klinger presents an excerpt from a 
series on 1873 coins in the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine dating from March 1957 to December 1958. A. Louden Snowden, 
chief coiner of the Philadelphia Mint, wrote to Mint Director James Pollack on Jan 18, 1873: "I desire in a formal 
manner to direct your attention to the 'figures' used in dating the dies for the present year.  They are so heavy, 
and the space brtween each so small that upon the smallest gold and silver, and upon the base coins it is almost 
impossible to distinguish with the naked eye, whether the last figure is an eight or a three.  I do not think it 
creditable to the institution that the coinage of the year should be issued bearing this defect in the date."

                               Value As A Date (Coin World Trends/CoinValues

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