Given the profusion of (often low-quality) reproductions and forgeries of 1804 dollars, many collectors are wary of any numismatic item resembling the There are, however, numismatically significant reproductions, one of which, an electrotype recreation of the Class II 1804 dollar, is featured as lot 5070 in Stack's Bowers Galleries' Global Showcase Auction Rarities Night session.

Around 1860, the U.S. Mint produced a wide variety of restrikes, fantasy pieces, and other numismatic curiosities for the burgeoning collector market, pieces that were often traded for medals to include in the Mint's cabinet.

The process was described by Mark Ferguson in an October 2020 article in CoinWeek:

Mint-produced electrotypes stand as a class all their own. Our cataloger explains:

The only known Class II 1804 dollar, itself a fantasy piece, resided in the Mint's Cabinet for many years before transfer to the Smithsonian in 1923. It was struck in the late 1850s over a Swiss Shooting Thaler (some parts of this undertype are visible on both the original Class II and this electrotype - look inside the rims). Four electrotypes, including the one offered in the August Global Showcase auction were produced around 1860. This particular piece sold shortly after its production to a California collector identified as According to the catalog description from its first auction appearance in 1959, Spiers bequeathed his collection around 1877 to the Society of California Pioneers. Around 1906, the collection was broken up and Waldo C. Newcomer, a legendary collector and owner of a genuine 1804 silver dollar, purchased this electrotype, which first appeared at auction in New Netherlands Coin Company's 53rd Sale. In the 21st century, the piece has come up for auction a number of times, most recently in Heritage Auctions' May 2022 Central States Numismatic Society sale; we had the pleasure of handling it in August 2019, in our American Numismatic Association sale.

Our cataloger describes the electrotype's appearance as: We assigned it a grade of Choice Extremely Fine.

To read the complete article, see:
STACK'S BOWERS GALLERIES TO OFFER ONE OF FOUR KNOWN U.S. MINT-PRODUCED 1804 DOLLAR ELECTROTYPES IN AUGUST 2023 RARITIES NIGHT SESSION(https://stacksbowers.com/electrotype-1804-class-ii-draped-bust-silver-dollar/)

To read the complete lot description, see:
Electrotype 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar. Joined Copper Shells, Silvered. Class II. Type as BB-305. Choice Extremely Fine (Uncertified).(https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-13VL9D/electrotype-1804-draped-bust-silver-dollar-joined-copper-shells-silvered-class-ii-type-as-bb-305-choice-extremely-fine-uncertified)