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File No. 333-59757
Rule 497(d)
Supplement dated August 18, 1998
to the Prospectuses Dated July 31, 1998
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Nuveen Unit Trusts, Series 17
Nuveen--The Dow 5/SM/ Portfolio, August 1998
Nuveen--The Dow 10/SM/ Portfolio, August 1998 (the "Portfolios")
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Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Prospectuses for
the Portfolios dated July 31, 1998, effective August 18, 1998, the Sponsor of
the Portfolios plans to allow a concession of 2.25% for non-breakpoint purchases
of Units to dealer firms in connection with the distribution of Units of a
Portfolio sold in a given transaction. However, the Sponsor plans to allow
dealer firms, in connection with Units sold in transactions to investors that
receive reduced sales charges based on the number of Units sold or in connection
with Units sold to Rollover Unitholders or Wrap Accounts, the following
concessions:
% Concession
Number of Units* per Unit
---------------- ------------
5,000 to 9,999........... 2.00%
10,000 to 24,999......... 1.75
25,000 to 49,999......... 1.50
50,000 to 99,999......... 1.25
100,000 or more.......... 0.50
Rollover................. 1.30
Wrap Accounts............ 0.00
In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained on p. 19 of
Part B of the Prospectuses regarding primary market volume incentives, at the
discretion of the Sponsor, volume incentives can be earned as a marketing
allowance by dealer firms who reach cumulative firm sales or sale arrangement
levels of a specified number of units of any series of the Nuveen--The Dow 5/SM/
Portfolios and Nuveen--The Dow 10/SM/ Portfolios sold in the primary market
from August 18, 1998 through December 31, 1999 (the "Incentive Period"), as set
forth in the table below. For firms that meet the necessary volume level, volume
incentives may be given on all trades involving the applicable trusts originated
from or by that firm during such trusts' primary offering period.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Total dollar amount sold over Incentive Period Volume incentive
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<S> <C>
$10,000,000 to $49,999,999.................... 0.10% on sales up to $49,999,999
$50,000,000 to $99,999,999.................... 0.15% on sales between $50,000,000 and
$99,999,999
$100,000,000 to $199,999,999.................. 0.20% on sales between $100,000,000
and $199,999,999
$200,000,000 or more.......................... 0.25% on sales over $200,000,000
</TABLE>
*Breakpoint sales charges are computed both on a dollar basis and on the
basis of the number of Units purchased, using the equivalent of 5,000 Units to
$50,000, 10,000 Units to $100,000 etc., and will be applied on that basis which
is more favorable to the purchaser and may result in a reduction in the
concession per Unit.
