1803 Draped Bust Large Cent (1c) Small Date Small Fraction

The 1803 Draped Bust Large Cent represents a fascinating early American copper from the first decade of U.S. coinage. With a mintage of roughly 3.1 million pieces, these coins circulated heavily during a time when copper cents served as the workhorses of everyday commerce. The Philadelphia Mint struggled with production quality during this era, making high-grade survivors particularly elusive.

This CAC-approved AU58 example stands at the pinnacle of circulated Draped Bust cents. The coin displays an even, attractive brown patina with strong underlying detail throughout Liberty's hair and the reverse wreath and PLENTY of original mint red peeking through. It's a brown coin, but wow does it have eye appeal. The surfaces are remarkably smooth for an early copper, with none of the porosity or corrosion that often plagues coins from this era. Just the slightest touch of friction on the highest points prevents this from achieving a full mint state designation.