½ Dime "Draped Bust Half Dime" Heraldic eagle (1803) — United States

Overview

A silver ½ Dime (5 Cents) coin of the United States, part of the 'Draped Bust Half Dime' series. The obverse features a draped bust facing right flanked by stars, designed by Gilbert Stuart. The reverse displays a heraldic eagle engraved by Robert Scot. Minted in 1803, this entry corresponds to the small '8' variety.

Specifications

Country

United States

Year

1803

Composition

Silver (.8924) (.1076 copper)

Weight

1.35 g

Diameter

16.5 mm

Mint

United States Mint of Philadelphia, United States (1792-date)

Shape

Round

Technique

Milled

References

KM# 34, PCGS# 4264, 4265, etc., Greysheet# 3724-3730

Issuer

United States

Design details

Collector insights

• Design heritage: Robert Scot, Gilbert Stuart is credited as the designer for the Standard circulation coins series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
• Struck at: United States Mint of Philadelphia, United States (1792-date). Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
• Precious metal content: Silver (.8924) (.1076 copper) — bullion value provides a price floor, and many circulated examples were melted during the 1979–1980 and post-2010 silver spikes, reducing the surviving population.
• Catalogue reference: Listed as KM# 34, PCGS# 4264, 4265, etc., Greysheet# 3724-3730. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

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Browse more items in the full catalog or view United States in the country guide.