1803 Draped Bust Silver Dollar. BB-255, B-6. Rarity-2. Large 3. AU-55 (NGC).This is a handsome Choice AU silver dollar, with pewter gray patina on both sides. Splashes of vivid rose and gold iridescence are also discernible under a light. The strike is slightly off center to 10 oclock on the obverse, 7 oclock on the reverse, but none of the devices are affected. Overall detail, in fact, is bold for the assigned grade.<p>A spike in the price of silver at the start of the nineteenth century led to large-scale melts of silver dollars, which were now worth more in silver value than face value. Production of the denomination began to wind down and the 1803-dated pieces were the denominations swan song for circulation until the 1830s. In total, 85,634 coins were struck with the 1803 date including 19,570 actually coined in 1804. Six die varieties are known for the issue, of which only the BB-255 bears a large 3 in the date. It is estimated that 1,250 and 2,000 specimens remain in numismatic holdings, making the BB-255 the most available of the die marriages for this year. With the legendary 1804 dollars out of reach for most collectors, 1803 coins have long been desirable among "bookend" collectors seeking the first and last years of a particular design. The BB-255 is more challenging to find in Mint State than might be expected, and this attractive AU-55 will be just right for many specialists.Ex our sale of the Blue Moon Collection, Part I, March 2017, lot 2546.
