George Washington was still alive when this dollar left the Philadelphia Mint, and the coin has carried its 1798 date for more than two centuries. This Draped Bust Dollar belongs to the first year the Heraldic Eagle reverse appeared on America's largest silver coin, replacing the earlier small eagle design. Philadelphia was the only mint operating then, and these big silver pieces circulated hard through the Adams years while the young republic worked to build faith in its own money. Early dollars that survived that service in collectible condition form the backbone of any serious 18th century US collection.

Robert Scot's portrait of Liberty fills the obverse, her hair flowing loose beneath a ribbon while drapery gathers at the bodice. Thirteen stars frame the bust, with LIBERTY arcing above and the bold 1798 date below, and every letter and digit reads clearly. The reverse centers on the heraldic eagle with a striped shield across its breast, arrows in one talon and an olive branch in the other. Clouds and stars crown the design above the E PLURIBUS UNUM banner, and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA legend remains complete around the rim.

PCGS graded this dollar VF-25, a grade that keeps strong central detail without the harsh wear seen on so many survivors of this era. Natural silver-gray patina covers both sides, deepening in the protected areas around the devices and lettering. The major design elements stand out in bold outline, and the surfaces are free of the rim damage, cleaning, or adjustment marks that plague many early dollars. Honest originality at this level of preservation is what separates a coin worth owning from one merely worth identifying. A welcome addition to any collection of early American silver. The coin pictured is the exact coin you will receive.

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1798 Draped Bust Silver Dollar Large Eagle PCGS VF-25