The 1873-S Closed 3 is easily the more common of the two varieties of Double Eagles struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1873.

The 1873-S Closed 3 Double Eagles are often weakly struck on the obverse. On Liberty’s head, the hair and ear is almost always flat and the bun is weak as well. The stars at the left of the obverse are sometimes weaker than those on the right; this is the result of uneven pressure during the striking process and does not adversely affect the value of a coin. 

1873-S Closed 3 Double Eagle Luster, Coloration, and Surface Quality 

The surfaces on most 1873-S Closed 3 Double Eagles are heavily abraded. This is due to the fact many coins were shipped to foreign banks and were poorly handled. The luster is frosty with a slightly grainy texture. Uncleaned, original pieces typically display rose-gold and light green coloration. The level of eye appeal on most pieces is acceptable. To locate pieces which are not heavily bag marked is very hard. 1873-S Closed 3 Double Eagles with relatively few severe marks are worth a strong premium.