Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 32

Pre-Long Beach Coin and Currency Auction

Flowing Hair Dollars

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1790		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. NGC graded EF-45. 2 Leaves. B-1. 9 berries left, 10 berries right rev. Wide Date. Nice light grey toning. Well struck (PCGS # 5846) . The mintages were small throughout 1794-1803 because little demand existed locally for silver dollars. The first United States Mint struck coins to order, for the most part. Bankers and others deposited silver and gold with the Mint, which the Mint's workers turned into coinage and then transferred to the owners of the precious metals. Those depositing silver with the Mint in those first years preferred the more convenient half dollars to the silver dollars, ordering more of the smaller denomination than the larger. As best as we can understand, the silver was too cumbersome for small transactions but too small for convenient transportation or storage of large sums. Many 1794-1803 silver dollars were melted. Striking silver dollars that were only going to be melted (or exported) wasted the Mint's production capacity, which is why production ceased after 1803 (possibly under the orders of President Jefferson). The halt in silver dollars proved more than momentary. The denomination wouldn't be struck for circulation again until 1840, at the second Philadelphia Mint. Estimated Value $10,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $12,075
Lot 1791		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 2 leaves beneath each wing. NGC graded VF-35. Nice even toning on both sides. 1795 silver dollars were made in quantity. The Flowing Hair type is at least twice as plentiful as the Draped Bust type and was made in many more die varieties. While some die varieties are very rare, the two major design types are readily available. Meanwhile, collectors and the Red Book break down the 1795 flowing hair into two varieties: two leaves under each wing or three leaves under each wing. Most 1795 dollars exist in worn grades from Fine to VF, indicating that they circulated widely. Estimated Value $7,000 - 8,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1792		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 2 leaves beneath each wing. NGC graded VF-35. Lightly toned on both sides. Collectors of half dollars can be grateful that the Mint had no suitable press for silver dollars, for in the absence of dollar coinage from October 1794 through May 1795, deliveries of half dollars were frequent and massive. Depositors of silver bullion could not obtain silver dollars. Thus, they were given specimens of the largest silver denomination available, half dollars. Once silver dollar production resumed with vigor in May 1795, half dollar deliveries diminished. The last half dollar delivery of the year was on June 5, 1795, after which no half dollars were delivered until 1797 (in which year 1796 and 1797dated halves were paid out). On the other hand, if the Mint had not obtained a suitable silver dollar press until 1798, then today 1796 and 1797 halves would be common! It is interesting how a single event, such as the availability of a coin press, dramatically affected the production and relationship of silver dollar dies of 1795, the quantities of half dollars produced late 1795 through 1797, and other situations. Estimated Value $7,000 - 8,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1793		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 2 leaves beneath each wing. NGC graded VF-35. Even toning on both sides. The Head of 1794 portrait was made from a master punch depicting Miss Liberty with rounded cheek and prominentjaw line. There is no double line under bust truncation. The bust point is blunter than on the following (Head of 1795). Sometime early in the year, the Head of 1795 portrait was made from a new master punch with the cheek of Miss Liberty in shallower relief than the preceding, and the jaw line not prominent. There is a double line, sort of a flattened loop, under the center and left side of the bust truncation. The bust point is sharp. Estimated Value $7,000 - 8,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $5,750
Lot 1794		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 2 leaves beneath each wing. PCGS graded VF-20. Nice even green toning on both sides. This is a particularly attractive toned example that features gently patinated surfaces with the centers lighter gray in color, then deepening to dappled russet and gray green with the deepest shades around the main devices. Surfaces smooth for the type and the rims are quite choice (PCGS # 6853) . The flowing hair head of Liberty on the 1794-95 dollars closely follows that on the 1794 cents, also engraved by Robert Scot, a former bank note engraver. The planchets were made to the legal fineness of these and other early silver coins, i.e., 1,485/1,664 silver and 179/1,664 copper, an incredibly awkward percentage as you will agree. Anyone who is interested in this subject will want to read the introductory remarks in Breen's Encyclopedia for a more detailed explanation. Estimated Value $5,000 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1795		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 3 leaves beneath each wing. PCGS graded VF-30 Bolender-5. Nice even grey toning with lighter "rubbed silver" highlights giving it a very presentable look or originality. What's more, the rims are outstanding on this specimen of the common "dash" variety which has a short raised die line in the field behind the head. Evenly struck on a problem-free planchet. What more could you ask for in a 1795 Flowing Hair dollar? (PCGS # 6852) . Estimated Value $6,000 - 6,700. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1796		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 3 leaves beneath each wing. PCGS graded VF-25. Nicely toned in spite of some active adjustment marks on the face and into the hair of Liberty. The toning ranges from russet to purplish gray with steel iridescence in areas. Notice the sharp lettering and stars in the photographs as well as the above average rims. We note only a single minor rim bruise below the date on the obverse. In 1794, the mint did not have a coining press powerful enough to strike Dollar-size coins, the largest being used for Large Cents and Half Dollars. Therefore, this Half Dollar press was employed to strike the first American Silver Dollars. It was soon revealed that it could not fully strike the design on the left side of the coin. By 1795, which new equipment was installed that could handle these large piece, the sharpness and consistency of strike improved markedly over 1794, as witnessed by this handsome 1795 3-leaves example (PCGS # 6852) . Estimated Value $4,000 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,325
Lot 1797		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. Silver plug. PCGS graded VF-30 B-7, BB-18. Nice even toning on both sides, some faint old graffiti in the fields on the obverse as well as possible tooling on the neck of Liberty where there is some discoloration. Also, a little discoloration below the eagle's perch. Typical wear on the high points of the hair since this design is in unusually high relief and tended to wear quickly in this region (PCGS # 6854) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 13,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1798		1795 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded EF-45 B-14. Off-Center Bust. This has a few marks on the neck plus areas of planchet adjustment diagonally across the obverse affecting the rims and a little bit of the hair. Well struck on the obverse; a little less sharp on the reverse which, as the mint learned from the earlier 1795 varieties, was in lower relief than the head of Liberty is on the obverse. This is the first of the draped bust, small eagle pieces, and a coin that will richly reward its new owner since it is possessed of attractions and sufficient quality for anyone who appreciates a nicely toned early Bust dollar (PCGS # 96858) . Estimated Value $7,500 - 8,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $10,350
Lot 1799		1795 Draped Bust Dollar. Centered bust. PCGS graded AU-58. B15 6 berries in olive branch. Well struck., indeed, extremely bold for this issue. What's more, the surface has acquired lovely light blue and gold toning. Pop 9; 22 finer. The minor adjustment marks on the reverse are often found on early silver dollars of the draped bust, small eagle Type (PCGS # 6858) . Henry DeSaussure, the Mint Director, responding to criticisms of the Robert Scot flowing hair design of 1794-5, had a new obverse made based upon a drawing by Gilbert Stuart, the prominent portrait artist whose Washington likeness appears on the $1 bill. It is believed the model for the obverse was Mrs. William Bingham, a famous belle of the day. Mrs. Bingham was a friend of both Washington and Jefferson. The dies were done by Jacob Eckstein, a German-born specialist, in September to October 1795; he was probably responsible for the redesign of the reverse as well which was undertaken at the same time. The revised reverse quite possibly was designed to allow fuller striking of both sides with the new obverse; the old reverse would have been so placed as to leave the eagle almost headless on most normal strikes.) The first strikes of the new design took place in October 1795. Estimated Value $20,000 - 25,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $24,150
Lot 1800		1796 Draped Bust Dollar. Large date, small letters. Sharpness of VG-8. Well worn, but acceptable as an example of this scarcer draped bust, small eagle variety used in only 1795 to 1798 and then abandoned. Cleaned and retoned, now a pleasing medium steel-grey in color. Estimated Value $400 - 500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,093
Lot 1801		1797 Draped Bust Dollar. 9 stars left, 7 right, large letters. PCGS graded EF-45 B-1a. Typical weak detail in the hair and drapery, yet the outer regions show that this coin barely circulated. The rims are especially choice, given what tends to be numerous problems on early bust dollars of this small eagle Type. Nothing nasty in the way of marks, discoloration, or adjustment lines to report; instead, the whole situation is just the opposite, with good eye appeal and accurate grading by PCGS (PCGS # 6863) . Estimated Value $7,500 - 8,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $10,350
Lot 1802		1797 Draped Bust Dollar. 9 stars left, 7 right, large letters. PCGS graded EF-40 B-1. This is one of the more interesting 1797 issues in which there are many stages of die cracks. The central obverse is always weak and looks unfinished. Also the obverse field appears irregular from repeated die clash marks on many examples. Only 7,776 dollars were struck in 1797, but due to inconsistencies in reporting annual coinage numbers in those days, this is the best guess number for the actual silver dollars coined with the "1797" date. Mottled gray and deeper gray patina over both sides; choice rims (PCGS # 6863) . Estimated Value $7,000 - 8,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,613
Lot 1803		1797 Draped Bust Dollar. 9 stars left, 7 right, large letters. NGC graded VF-25 BB-73. Bolender-1. Attractive medium-deep gray surfaces with lighter "rubbed silver" highlights providing contrast. The obverse is well centered and balanced with full wide rim dentils around the main device; on the reverse, there is a minor rim irregularity below the bow. This year's issue has 16 stars crowded together to form a semicircle around Liberty. Mintage of all kinds in 1797 amounted to just 7,776 silver dollars. Estimated Value $4,000 - 4,800. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1804		1797 Draped Bust Dollar. 10 stars left, 6 right. PCGS graded VF-35. B-71; B-3. Some obverse adjustment. Nice even toning on the other hand and nothing garish to report in the way of problems. The 1797 issue with 10 stars on the left has the most pronounced softness in the design of this year, and it seems the mint was practically incapable of thrusting the dies together with enough force to impart all of the design onto the planchet. Yet just about every collector eventually wants this Type with the draped bust, small eagle. The photographs give it a good depiction, while PCGS hit the nail on the head with its VF35 grade (PCGS # 6865) . Estimated Value $4,000 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $4,370
Lot 1805		1797 Draped Bust Dollar. 10 stars left, 6 right. PCGS graded VF-35 BB-71. Bolender-3. Nice toning on both sides with the deepest areas (charcoal gray) within and around the hair waves, the stars, and main legends, lightening to medium gray with some pinkish russet in the areas more exposed to circulation wear. Nice, sharp rims. A popular short-lived type featuring the draped bust Liberty combined with a reverse that has a small eagle standing on clouds within a wreath (PCGS # 6865) . Estimated Value $3,500 - 4,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,680
Lot 1806		1797 Draped Bust Dollar. 10 stars left, 6 right. Sharpness of EF-40. Bolender-3. Cleaned and retoned but an acceptable specimen in this grade and just as collectable as many in higher grades that have heavy marks or rim problems. There are a few faint old hairlines above the date and behind the hair, along with several minor marks on the nose and neck. Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,795
Lot 1807		1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Heraldic eagle reverse. Sharpness of Very Fine. Cleaned and retoned with heavy scrapes across Liberty's forehead and face; blackened surfaces as though darkened to lessen the marks. There is a die line or straight die break between L and I of LIBERTY. Estimated Value $700 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,323
Lot 1808		1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Heraldic eagle reverse. Sharpness of Very Fine. Finely granular as though it had been in a fire long ago, which has resulted in a medium to dark mottled greyish and multi-color tone. Estimated Value $500 - 700. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,208
Lot 1809		1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Heraldic eagle reverse. Sharpness of Fine. Cleaned and retoned. Estimated Value $500 - 650. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $920
Lot 1810		1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Heraldic eagle reverse. Sharpness of Very Good. Minor numerous rim marks and smoothness in the centers. Light to medium grey in color. Estimated Value $400 - 500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $719
Lot 1811		1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Heraldic eagle reverse. Sharpness of Very Fine. Lighter silvery gray centers with medium gray around devices. No doubt has been cleaned in an attempt to improve the appearance and the hair has been retooled. Possibly holed and expertly repaired behind Liberty's head. Estimated Value $400 - 500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $891
Lot 1812		1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Heraldic eagle reverse, close date. PCGS graded VF-20. Attractive neutral "old silver" patina, the circumstances being that this has a tolerable set of positive features that will lure just about everyone. What's more, the rims are very choice for Very Fine quality, and so provide a nice border around the design. Die breaks occur below and through the date region on this commonly found variety (PCGS # 6873) . Estimated Value $1,700 - 1,900. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,128
Lot 1813		1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Heraldic eagle reverse, close date. PCGS graded Fine-12. Lightly toned and even wear (PCGS # 6873) . Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,100. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,200
Lot 1814		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded AU-58 PQ. Nice even toning on both sides. Boldly struck with each star crisp, and all of Liberty's hair curls razor-sharp including the often-weak "lovelock" on the neck just below the ear. The toning shades from bluish steel to deep antique gray, the proper color of old, aged silver, and nicely preserving the underlying luster and surface freshness. In fact, this 1799 comes very close to mint state (PCGS # 6878) . Estimated Value $13,000 - 14,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $16,100
Lot 1815		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded AU-58. Light even toning with the silvery effect modified in part by some older gray "fingerprint toning", the deeper shades occupying the high points of Liberty's cheek, hair, hair ribbon, and should drapery, etc. The stars are mostly thin and tiny, unlike some varieties of 1799. Very scarce in this upper grade, with the Bust Dollar series experiencing intense collector interest in recent years (PCGS # 6878) . Estimated Value $11,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1816		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded AU-53. A short lamination streak on Liberty's cheek; moderal weakness from slightly bulged dies includes soft patches of hair below and around Liberty's ear, and wear on the shoulder, as well as a soft area partially obscuring the stars above the eagle. A scarce Type coin in this grade (PCGS # 6878) . Estimated Value $6,500 - 7,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $8,338
Lot 1817		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded EF-45 BB-160, B-12. Darker gray at the stars, date and legends, lightens in the fields to pale antique gray with russet gold color. Excellent rims and details for this grade; a popular piece for the collector since it is affordable (PCGS # 6878) . Estimated Value $3,500 - 4,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $5,463
Lot 1818		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded EF-40. Nice even grey toning on both sides. Little hairlines and marks are almost unavoidable on these early pieces, and this has a few on the neck, but is generally quite well preserved for a bust dollar. The obverse is a blend of grays and warm amber-reds to browns, with typical "rubbed silver" color at Liberty's shoulder (PCGS # 6878) . Estimated Value $3,200 - 3,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $4,140
Lot 1819		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of About Uncirculated. This 1799 has a few old marks on the face and lower chin but is evidently very well struck for the issue, noted in the sharp hair curls and fully formed stars. Although cleaned and now starting to retone, this example has plenty of eye-appeal. Estimated Value $2,500 - 3,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,888
Lot 1820		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded VF-25 BB-158, B-16. Grey toning on both sides. Normal wear on the highest points. Choice rims for the grade (PCGS # 6878) . Estimated Value $1,700 - 1,850. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,955
Lot 1821		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of EF-40. Lightly cleaned. Typical indistinct centers, but generally acceptable for this early piece. Many bust dollars of 1795-1803 were mishandled or cleaned or even repaired along the way. The advent of third-party grading in the 1980s, however, stabilized the confusion by drawing attention to any major problems. Again, this piece has only been lightly cleaned, not abrasively so. Estimated Value $1,500 - 1,800. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,990
Lot 1822		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Very Fine. Somewhat blotchy artificial color with cleaned surfaces underlying this. We note fine scratches scattered about. Estimated Value $700 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,438
Lot 1823		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Very Fine. Cleaned and retoned to a greyish-violet and multi color hue. Estimated Value $700 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,553
Lot 1824		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Very Fine. Cleaned at one time and retoned to a light mottled greyish-violet. A pleasing looking coin that is well worth our estimate. Estimated Value $700 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,070
Lot 1825		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded VG-8. Even toning on both sides, somewhat granular but acceptable for this modest grade. If your collection of early U.S. silver coinage is in low spirits because of a lack of coverage, then perhaps this 1799 silver dollar (from the year that George Washington passed away) might enliven the group (PCGS # 6878) . Estimated Value $700 - 800. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $920
Lot 1826		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Fine. Cleaned and retoned. We note some moderate scratches, two quite prominent ones on the reverse. Estimated Value $500 - 600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $776
Lot 1827		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Fine. Cleaned and retoned to conceal the numerous heavy scratches on each side. Estimated Value $400 - 600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $834
Lot 1828		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Very Good. A scattering of light to moderate nicks and scratches. Estimated Value $400 - 500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $776
Lot 1829		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Very Good. Cleaned and lightly polished at one time. Estimated Value $400 - 500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $661
Lot 1830		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Fine or better. Extensively marked and porous. Estimated Value $400 - 600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $776
Lot 1831		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of VG-10. A few rim bruises and crisscross lines on the neck of Liberty. Light natural grey toning adds to its appeal. Estimated Value $400 - 500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $719
Lot 1832		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Very Good. A dig on the cheek and some engraving on the neck; rough surfaces point to burial in the ground at some time in the past. A uniform dark grey in color. Estimated Value $300 - 400. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $489
Lot 1833		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. Sharpness of Very Good. Obviously re-engraved hair. A "filler" quality specimen of the 1799 issue. Somewhat "rusty" looking in appearance. Estimated Value $200 - 300. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $518
Lot 1834		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. 9 over 8. 15 stars on reverse. PCGS graded AU-50. Lightly toned, this is the affordable Bolender-3 variety with the sharp overdate and odd star-count on the reverse. In 1799, some 11 obverses and 17 reverses were combined to produce 23 varieties. The earliest obverse, evidently a 1798 die left over without final digit and only completed at hardening, is the famous Irregular Date; the irregular date comes with three reverses, one of which is the famous 15 Stars blunder: the regular "arc pattern" began with seven stars in top row, six in second, plus the two at beak and behind head. On discovery of the blunder, die-maker Robert Scot greatly enlarged two end clouds to conceal the two extra stars, but some points remain clear. Pop 15 with 40 finer This reverse also comes with what many believe to be the second die of the year, the famous 1799/8: an obverse originally made up for the 1798 Wide Date group but mislaid or for some other reason unused. This overdate die also comes with two other reverses that do not have 15 stars (PCGS # 6883) . Estimated Value $6,500 - 7,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $7,418
Lot 1835		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. 9 over 8. 13 stars on reverse. Sharpness of VF-35. Cleaned and retoned. Estimated Value $700 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,840
Lot 1836		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. 9 over 8. 13 stars on reverse. Sharpness of Very Fine. Cleaned with dull surfaces that exhibit numerous fine scratches on the portrait. Estimated Value $700 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,323
Lot 1837		1799 Draped Bust Dollar. 9 over 8. 13 stars on reverse. Sharpness of VG-7. Cleaned, but the resulting gray to russet brown toning isn't all that unattractive for a coin in this grade. There is still plenty of hair detail present on Liberty as well as clear feathers and almost Very Fine quality in the shield on the eagle's chest. Estimated Value $500 - 600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $920
Lot 1838		1800 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded EF-45. Pop 74. This example of the common 1800 silver dollar has deep antique gray fields supporting lighter highlights of "rubbed silver" color -- a typical state of preservation found on coins that haven't been cleaned or tampered with. There are a few light marks on the neck and other areas of the portrait but generally this is above average for a bust dollar grading Extremely Fine (PCGS # 6887) . Estimated Value $4,000 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $5,175
Lot 1839		1800 Draped Bust Dollar. PCGS graded EF-40 PQ. Toned on both sides, a coin with grand eye appeal from the lovely amber brown color and strikingly fresh elements (including the stars). The year 1800 is one of the three so-called common dates in the set (1798 and 1799 being the others), which makes it an ideal choice for a United States Type set of early silver coins. Mintage was 220,920, but as many were exported, the next survival cannot be higher than about 5% to 10% of this figure. Part of the reported mintage was doubtless dated 1799; also, many more were delivered in 1801 but dated 1800 -- in those days, the Mint's record keeping was, well, let us just say Enron might have taken a page out of the mint's ledgers! (PCGS # 6887) . Estimated Value $4,000 - 4,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $5,175

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