1804 Draped Bust Dollar – Dexter Dollar
The 1804 draped bust dollar is one of the rarest and expensive dollars in the world because only eight (class one) 1804 silver dollars are known worldwide. You should be very rich and lucky to buy this coin at an auction where prices will go far above one million dollars for sure. A fact is that the 1804 draped bust dollar coins where struck in the year 1834 and 1835 and not in 1804 itself. Also in the year 1858, some illegal restrikes where made (class two) but those all returned. Only one class two coin is now in the collection at the Smithsonian Institution. In 1859 into 1860 (class three) restrikes were made from which six coins are known today.
Some 1804 draped bust silver dollar coin facts.
- Class one: Lettered Edge.
- Class two: New reverse, plain edge.
- Class three: New reverse, lettered edge.
- Face: Anne Willing Bingham.
- Diameter: 39 to 40 millimeters.
- Composition: Silver (.8924) and Copper (.1076).
- Weight: 26.96 grams.
Here below are the images from an authentic and a counterfeit draped bust silver dollar coin, both showing the year 1804.
Authentic 1804 Draped Bust Dollar – Obverse Side
Counterfeit 1804 Draped Bust Dollar – Obverse Side
When comparing both 1804 draped bust coins the following differences are easy to see on the counterfeit coin and not on the authentic coin.
- The numbers are not identical.
- The stars are too small of size compared to the real coin.
- The letters are different.
- The hair from Anne Bingham is not the same at the top and other spots.
- In general very soft details and slick surfaces.
Authentic 1804 Draped Bust Dollar – Reverse Side
Counterfeit 1804 Draped Bust Dollar – Reverse Side
The counterfeit coin we did use for this example was of poor quality but still there are people who do not know what they are actually buying, mostly collectors with no knowledge from the king of coins, the 1804 draped bust dollar, also known as the Dexter dollar.
