1798 Draped Bust Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1798 Draped Bust Dollar brings anywhere from $216 to $30,005; the melt floor under every example is $28.24 (spot prices as of 2026-06-01) Where your coin lands depends on wear, strike and surface quality.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1798 Draped Bust Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $28.24 |
| Good (G-4) | $216 to $318 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $312 to $459 |
| Fine (F-12) | $456 to $671 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $720 to $1,059 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $1,200 to $1,765 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $2,040 to $3,001 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $3,601 to $5,295 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $6,721 to $9,884 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $20,403 to $30,005 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
Current 1798 Draped Bust Dollar value
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1798 Draped Bust Dollar starts around $216. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $30,005. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1798 Draped Bust Dollar specifications
- Series
- Draped Bust Dollar
- Year
- 1798
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- 89.2% silver, 10.8% copper
- Weight
- 26.96 g
- Diameter
- 40 mm
- Edge
- Lettered HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT
- Designer
- Robert Scot
- Silver content
- 0.77370 troy oz
Why there is no letter on this coin
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1798 Draped Bust Dollar comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (None, all were struck at Philadelphia) is simply blank.
Why the 1798 Draped Bust Dollar is worth money
Every 1798 Draped Bust Dollar contains 0.7737 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $28.24. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1798 Draped Bust Dollar trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Context adds the final layer to the 1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Its most famous issue was never struck in its named year: the 1804 dollar, actually produced in the 1830s for diplomatic presentation sets, is 'the King of American Coins,' with fifteen known examples trading in the millions. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
1798 Draped Bust Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
******* LIBERTY ****** 1798
bust of Liberty r., draped with ribbon tied in flowing hair
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
eagle within wreath
Measured 1798 Draped Bust Dollar specimens
10 physically measured 1798 Draped Bust Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 26.96 g, 40 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #1 | 26.936 g | 39.5 mm | - | Bolender.1798.13, Breen.5380 |
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #2 | 26.944 g | 39 mm | - | Bolender.1798.26, Breen.5382 |
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #3 | 27.055 g | 40 mm | 6 h | Bolender.1798.27, Breen.5383 |
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #4 | 27.004 g | 40 mm | - | Bolender.1798.6, Breen.5377 |
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #5 | 26.882 g | 40 mm | - | Bolender.1798.12, Breen.5381 |
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #6 | 26.735 g | 39.5 mm | - | Bolender.1798.8a, Breen.5385 |
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #7 | 26.898 g | 39 mm | - | Bolender.1798.1, Breen.5375 |
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #8 | 26.975 g | 39 mm | - | Bolender.1798.30, Breen.5384 |
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #9 | 26.687 g | 39 mm | - | Bolender.1798.2, Breen.5376 |
| 1798 Draped Bust Dollar #10 | 26.912 g | 39.25 mm | - | Bolender.1798.1, Breen.5375 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1798 Draped Bust Dollar is valued between $216 and $30,005 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.