Numismatic

1903 Gold $1.00 Louisiana Purchase Jefferson MS-65 PCGS

---

In 1903, the United States issued a special gold dollar to mark a momentous century of growth. This coin features a portrait of Thomas Jefferson, rendered in profile facing left. The choice of Jefferson honors his role in the historic land acquisition of 1803, creating a direct link between the president and the centennial celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Designed by Charles Barber, the coin's reverse side displays a simple yet elegant olive branch. Surrounding this central design is the dual date range of 1803 to 1903, which anchors the coin to the exposition held in St. Louis. The inscription also displays the face value of one dollar. This gold issue had an original mintage of 17,500 pieces. Although they were initially distributed to the public for three dollars each, many of the coins did not find homes. A portion of the original mintage was eventually returned to the United States Mint to be melted down, making surviving examples in high grades especially notable for modern observers.