1803 Draped Bust Dollar Value
A 1803 Draped Bust Dollar is worth roughly $53.00 to $2,471 depending on its condition, with a hard melt-value floor of $28.24 as of 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1803 Draped Bust Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $28.24 |
| Good (G-4) | $53.00 to $77.50 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $67.00 to $99.00 |
| Fine (F-12) | $86.50 to $127 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $120 to $177 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $180 to $265 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $264 to $388 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $408 to $600 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $720 to $1,059 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $1,680 to $2,471 |
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.
How much is a 1803 Draped Bust Dollar worth today?
Figure roughly $53.00 as the realistic floor for a damage-free, well-worn 1803 Draped Bust Dollar, rising steadily through the grades to about $2,471 for a certified gem. Cleaned or damaged coins trade below these figures, though never below the $28.24 melt floor.
1803 Draped Bust Dollar specifications
- Series
- Draped Bust Dollar
- Year
- 1803
- 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 this coin has no mint mark
Philadelphia struck the 1803 Draped Bust Dollar, and Philadelphia coins of this period carry no mint mark at all. An empty space at the usual mint mark position (None, all were struck at Philadelphia) confirms a Philadelphia strike, not a flaw.
Why the 1803 Draped Bust Dollar is worth money
Silver content matters for the 1803 Draped Bust Dollar: 0.7737 oz per coin, valued at $28.24 right now. The melt floor moves daily with the metals market and sets the minimum any dealer will pay.
Documented examples of the 1803 Draped Bust Dollar in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
Context adds the final layer to the 1803 Draped Bust Dollar. Genuine circulated 1795-1803 dollars are attainable, if costly, every one is an artifact of Philadelphia's first mint, struck by hand on screw presses from hand-engraved dies. 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.
1803 Draped Bust Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
******* LIBERTY ****** (date)
Liberty bust r.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
eagle, heraldic, stars and clouds above
Measured 1803 Draped Bust Dollar specimens
5 physically measured 1803 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1803 Draped Bust Dollar #1 | 26.86 g | 40 mm | - | Bolender.1803.6, Breen.5402 |
| 1803 Draped Bust Dollar #2 | 26.822 g | 39.5 mm | - | Bolender.1803.5, Breen.5401 |
| 1803 Draped Bust Dollar #3 | 26.987 g | 40 mm | - | Bolender.1803.6, Breen.5402 |
| 1803 Draped Bust Dollar #4 | 26.938 g | 39.5 mm | - | Bolender.1803.5, Breen.5401 |
| 1803 Draped Bust Dollar #5 | - | - | - | Overton.1803.102, Breen.4570 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1803 Draped Bust Dollar is valued between $53.00 and $2,471 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.