Silver Dollars were an immensely useful general circulation coin produced by the United States Mint for more than 140 years and today are one of the most popular types of U.S. coins among collectors. Bust Silver Dollars were among the first minted and were only produced for a short time. This relatively small mintage means very few of these fascinating coins survived to be included in contemporary collections.
Even then, the coins that endured the centuries to make it to today’s numismatics market typically survive in relatively poor condition at best. Collectors always seek well-preserved coins for their collections; when it comes to the Bust Silver Dollar, however, that is no simple feat.
THE VALUE OF A BUST SILVER DOLLAR
To be perfectly frank, the most coveted Bust Silver Dollar is every Bust Silver Dollar. The confluence of these coins being so old, having been produced in such limited quantities and being incredibly difficult to find today makes each individual coin enormously precious. The 1794 Bust Silver Dollar, the first such coin produced, is by far the most sought-after version of this coin. They are essentially impossible to find and will run to five figures even in extremely poor condition.
A basic tenet of collecting is the older the coin, the rarer and more desirable it will be. As the mintage years on Bust Dollars transition from the 1790s to the early 1800s, the average price of the coin decreases noticeably. Regardless of year, however, Uncirculated and Extremely Fine varieties of Bust Silver Dollars command premiums over $10,000. Possession of a Bust Silver Dollar is typically limited to extremely serious collectors who have the ability to dedicate great resources to building their collection.
 PROJECTED VALUE OF BUST SILVER DOLLARS
DATE | GOOD | FINE | EXTREMELY FINE | UNCIRCULATED |
---|---|---|---|---|
1794 Flowing Hair Dollar | $65,000 | $115,000 | $275,000 | $350,000 |
1795 Flowing Hair Dollar (Two Leaves) | $1,750 | $4,350 | $13,500 | $20,000 |
1795 Flowing Hair Dollar (Three Leaves) | $1,750 | $4,100 | $12,000 | $19,500 |
1795 Flowing Hair Dollar (Silver Plug) | $2,800 | $8,500 | $27,500 | $45,000 |
1795 Draped Bust Dollar (Off Center) | $1,450 | $2,150 | $10,750 | $15,500 |
1795 Draped Bust Dollar (Centered) | $1,450 | $3,500 | $10,750 | $16,500 |
1796 Draped Bust Dollar (Small Letters) | $1,550 | $3,800 | $10,750 | $15,000 |
1796 Draped Bust Dollar (Large Letters) | $1,550 | $3,800 | $10,750 | $15,000 |
1796 Draped Bust Dollar (Large Date) | $1,550 | $3,400 | $10,500 | $15,000 |
1797 Draped Bust Dollar (10 Stars) | $1,550 | $3,000 | $10,000 | $14,750 |
1797 Draped Bust Dollar (9 Stars, Large Letters) | $1,550 | $3,100 | $10,750 | $15,300 |
1797 Draped Bust Dollar (9 Stars, Small Letters) | $1,800 | $3,900 | $16,250 | $32,500 |
1798 Draped Bust Dollar (15 Stars) | $1,750 | $3,800 | $16,000 | $24,500 |
1798 Draped Bust Dollar (13 Stars) | $1,700 | $3,500 | $15,000 | $20,000 |
1799 Draped Bust Dollar | $1,150 | $2,550 | $4,700 | $8,200 |
1800 Draped Bust Dollar | $1,100 | $2,500 | $4,600 | $8,100 |
1801 Draped Bust Dollar | $900 | $1,600 | $4,900 | $8,350 |
1802 Draped Bust Dollar | $950 | $1,800 | $5,000 | $9,100 |
1803 Draped Bust Dollar | $1,000 | $1,800 | $5,000 | $9,000 |