The feat betters the original Nintendo DS and the Game Boy Advance, which took 56 weeks and 58 weeks to reach the milestone respectively, reports VG247.
© Nintendo
The figures, which were provided by Media Create, have been released ahead of the console's one-year anniversary.
The Nintendo 3DS was given a global price cut last August, which has been credited for the impressive rise in sales.
It also enjoyed a strong finish to 2011 in the US, with Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 selling one million copies each, and the device itself outselling the Wii in the same period.
Watch a trailer for Super Mario 3D Land below:
