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1803 Proof
| Weight | 26.96 g |
| Diameter | 39.5 mm |
| Mint | Philadelphia |
| Strike | Proof |
| Mintage | 85,634 Combined mintage for all 1803 varieties |
| Edge | Lettered (HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT) |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 89.24% Silver, 10.76% Copper |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | Robert Scot |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-4500 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
The 1803 Draped Bust Dollar Proof is a documented Mint Novodel or restrike issue rather than an original-year proof, struck at the Philadelphia Mint approximately three decades after the 1803 production year using dies dated 1803 paired with later proof preparation. The 1803 Proof is one of the rare early American proof Draped Bust Dollar issues and was struck in two distinct production episodes: the c. 1834-1835 Novodel production alongside the original 1804 Class I dollars for the diplomatic presentation sets, and the c. 1858-1860 Restrike production alongside the 1804 Class III dollars. The live page mintage of 85,634 reflects the circulation-strike figure rather than the proof mintage.
Authentication of an 1803 Draped Bust Dollar Proof requires careful examination of strike quality, mirrored field character, edge characteristics, and documented pedigree alongside institutional review. The proof issues show fully struck Liberty drapery, sharp eagle feather definition, and deep mirror fields that distinguish proof production from regular 1803 circulation strikes. PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC apply the most rigorous authentication standards for these issues given their rarity and the attribution complexity between Novodel and Restrike examples. Pedigree documentation accompanies all confirmed examples in every certified transaction.
The 1803 Draped Bust Dollar Proof is a regular-classification proof entry on this site under the standard catalog convention, with the trophy-tier rarity and the Novodel-or-Restrike status reflected in the prose rather than the badge tier. The 1803 Proof pairs with the 1801 and 1802 Proof Novodel/Restrike issues as the matched trio of dies-dated-but-not-struck-that-year Draped Bust Dollar proofs that accompanied the production of the famous 1804 dollars. Auction records for confirmed 1803 Draped Bust Dollar Proof examples reach into the six figures for high-grade examples, with the standard reference being the Bowers-Borckardt (BB) attribution system. For the Novodel and Restrike production context and the 1804 Class I/II/III history, see the Draped Bust Dollar series history.
Reference data only — not an appraisal.
| Grade | Description | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| PR-63 | Proof (PR) | — | — |
How many 1803 Proof Draped Bust Dollars were minted?
What is a 1803 Proof Draped Bust Dollar made of?
What is the melt value of a 1803 Proof Draped Bust Dollar?
Is the 1803 Proof Draped Bust Dollar a key date?
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