Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 37

Pre-Long Beach Coin and Currency Auction

Flowing Hair Dollars

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 2767		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. NGC graded AU-55 B-11, BB-20. Well struck and lightly toned. A refreshingly original surfaced beauty and a well preserved early silver dollar by any standards. Most flowing hair 1795s lack clear detail in Liberty's hair. But here, an engaging display of lively hair strands stand out boldly thanks to this particular BB-20 obverse die. Natural toning spreads across the choice silver gray surfaces without the least sign of a heavy mark or discoloration to pick up on. The quality is very high for the date. Pop 30; 79 finer. Estimated Value $22,000 - 24,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2768		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 2 leaves beneath each wing. PCGS graded AU-50 BB-14. A pleasing specimen, very lightly toned in even shades of "old silver" with russet color. There is still luster present. Almost no marks may be seen, with the most obvious one not actually a mark at all but a tiny raised bump (from a defect in the die) below Liberty's chin. When scrutinized, and careful magnified examination applied, nothing untoward is revealed; relatively few marks while on the opposite end of the scale, the nod goes to generous amounts of old-fashioned aesthetic appeal. This die marriage is called by some old-timers the "Hidden Star" variety for the unusual placement of star 15 beneath the tip of Liberty's bust, a unique positioning among Flowing hair dollar dies and an easy identifier of the die. Only two Mint State examples have been identified. This is a very respectable About Uncirculated 50 coin. Variety Notes: BB-14 represents one of several varieties with the two-leaves reverse and the Head of '94 obverse. Pop 12; 55 finer. (PCGS # 6853) . Estimated Value $17,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 2769		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 2 leaves beneath each wing. NGC graded VF-35. Nice even grey toning. The fields acquired the deepest patina, a splendid steel gray hue, while lighter shades of silver-gray accent the high points of the portrait, stars, date, and legends, as well as the eagle. There is some moderately dark toning below the eagle's tail feathers, and a few wispy hairlines running hither and yon, but most of these require magnification to see. Rims are outstanding in their freedom from marks. The eagle is well struck. Noted on BB-21, the flowing hair is in five prominent curls, with a thin faint additional curl below the third curl from the top. The head is high and closer to LIBERTY than on most other obverses. The date is wide, with more space between 1 and 7 than other figures. The 7 in the date was repunched over an erroneous 1, prompting some to catalogers to describe the variety as 1795 over 1195. The erroneous 1 is especially visible on early die states. A plentiful issue within the confines of the series, but under strong pressure from collectors needing it for the Flowing Hair type. Pop 21; 19 finer. Estimated Value $6,000 - 6,500. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2770		1795. 3 leaves beneath each wing. BB-27. PCGS graded AU-55. Well struck on a problem-free planchet. Untoned with plenty of luster remaining. An especially well made and carefully preserved early flowing hair dollar with the distinctive 3 leaves under each wing of the eagle. 1795 BB-27 is by far the most affordable variety of 1795. A couple thousand or more exist; the Bowers encyclopedia estimates the population to be 2,500 to 3,500 in all grades combined. However, in his 1881 Type-Table, J.W. Haseltine called this variety rare if "strictly Uncirculated." In its day, this die combination may have struck 100,000 or more coins. The die steel must have been extremely well tempered. Due to the depth of the Miss Liberty portrait in the die, the resultant coins were in high relief. Because of this, the hair wore quickly at the center of the obverse, with pieces grading Very Fine or lower usually have little detail still remaining. On some (but not all) higher grade coins the hair detail at the center of the obverse and the eagle's breast feathers are well defined. This is one of the better made examples and worth a premium because it is. (As many as 50 to 100 Mint State coins may exist.). Estimated Value $18,000 - 21,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $20,125
Lot 2771		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 3 leaves beneath each wing. NGC graded AU-53 BB-27, B-5. Some luster visable. An very attractive example of this first style of U.S. silver dollar, among the best in its class. The luster is evident on both sides, and both surfaces are pleasing light silver-gray in color, hiding nothing, but fortunately there is nothing to hide. The coin is outstanding for the grade. A brief review of America's early silver dollars will put this flowing hair 1795 in its proper perspective. The mintages were small throughout 1794-1803 because little demand existed domestically for silver dollars. The first United States Mint struck coins to order, for the most part. That is what the "free coinage" of silver and gold meant in those halcyon days. Bankers and others deposited silver or gold with the Mint, which the Mint's workers turned into the desired coinage and then delivered to the owners of the precious metals. Those depositing silver with the Mint in those first years has a preference for 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 large 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) was wasteful of the Mint's production capacity. Production of this denomination ceased after 1803, possibly under the orders of President Jefferson. The halt in production for the silver dollar proved more than temporary. It wouldn't be struck for circulation again until 1840, at the second Philadelphia Mint. Pop 6; 11 finer. Estimated Value $16,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2772		1795. 3 leaves beneath each wing. B-5. PCGS graded EF-45. Another sharp, attractive example of the popular 1795 flowing hair style silver dollar. Well struck with greyish-violet toning and some reverse adjustment marks in the center. BB-27 is the final variety of this Type listed in the Bowers reference, with the change to the draped busy style of portraiture presumaly made thereafter (BB-51 & BB-52); the gap in the numbering system used by Bowers-Borckhardt is there to provide space for any new discoveries of hitherto unrecognized die varieties. "Statute One," the Mint Act of April 2, 1792, authorized coinage of silver dollars at the weight of 416 grains and the awkward fineness of 1,485/1,664 silver, 179/1,664 copper. The coins were supposed to pass at par with Spanish and Mexican dollars (the international trade coin of the day), though the primitive assaying methods available at the time prevented authorities from learning the true Spanish standard, which was 65/72 silver, 7/72 copper = 902 7/9 Fine (compared to the Philadelphia Mint's 892.43+ Fine). But because Spanish and Mexican dollars remained legal tender at par with those coined by federal authority, worn Mexican and South American "pieces of eight" circulated preferentially. Little bullion was brought in for coinage into United States dollars, and only a fraction of those reached circulation, according to Breen's encyclopedia. Estimated Value $10,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2773		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 3 leaves beneath each wing. NGC graded EF-45 BB-27, B-5. Nice even toning. A glistening golden gray example with a luxurious display of smooth surface, sharp relief, and unimpeded rims. Nicely socked by the dies, perhaps not fully so at the high relief center of the head, but still well enough that its attraction is enhanced. Bolender-5 (a.k.a. Bowers-Borckhardt 27) is the most easily acquired 1795 flowing hair style silver dollar variety. It tends to be well struck and, for the most part, as in the present instance, well preserved. Given that this piece has only the faintest sign of adjustment marks, it is clearly head and shoulders above others whose marring marks materially influence the visual appeal. A well thought-out bid is obligatory, or forever be left holding the empty bag when this attractive specimen reaches the auctioneer. Pop 9; 19 finer. Estimated Value $9,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $10,350
Lot 2774		1795. 3 leaves beneath each wing. BB-27. NGC graded EF-40. Struck on a problem free planchet with pleasing natural antique toning. The obverse exhibits lighter golden hues highlighting Liberty while the reverse is a uniform greyish-violet with lighter golden highlights withing the devices. On this popularly-collected variety, Liberty's flowing hair is in six curls, the 3rd and 4th close together; the 4th has a tiny curved "tail" extending downward, and visible on higher grade pieces. Lowest curl distant from star. A "bar" over 2 mm. long extends diagonally from close to top curl toward point of 5th star. Look for the "bar" near uppermost curl. (By contrast, BB-20 has the bar near 4th star.) Wide date, the 1 and 7 farthest apart. First star about as close to 1 as 7 is to 9. Most early die states show striking weakness at the centers. As is the case with the obverse die used to coin BB-21, BB-22, and BB-23, the present obverse had the head of Miss Liberty deeply impressed into the die, causing it to be in slightly higher relief than other varieties of the year; because of this, the hair details wore away quickly as the coins circulated, even only lightly as in this Extremely Fine specimen. This obverse die used to strike 1795 BB-27 only. Reverse J: Three leaves under each wing. 13 berries, seven on left branch, six on right. Three leaves under each wing of eagle. Two berries under first T in STATES, one on inside and one on outside of wreath. With four leaves below first S of STATES. Used previously with BB-25. Most specimens of BB-25 and BB-27 examined show a fine die crack from end of left stem downward, in BB-27 extending to border. Estimated Value $9,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,775
Lot 2775		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. 3 leaves beneath each wing. NGC graded EF-40. This is the familiar BB-27, B-5 variety with a short "dash" behind the head opposite the top curl. Generally well struck and clearly this has been carefully handled by its former owners, as witnessed by the choice rims, original patina (darkest in the fields, with contrasting light silver-gray devices), and relatively smooth, mar-free fields. The eagle shows outstanding detail, including a full eye and claws. Best of all, any adjustment marks are so faint as to be nearly invisible, thus adding immeasurably to the aesthetic beauty. Pop 9; 29 finer. Estimated Value $7,000 - 7,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,603
Lot 2776		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. Silver plug. PCGS graded VF-30 BB-18 BB-18. Attractively toned with a darker tone streak above the head. Well centered on a problem-free planchet. The B-7, BB-18 dollar features the first head style, sometimes called the Head of 1794, with a rounded bust tip, and lacking a shoulder loop below the left side of the neck. The modified portrait, known as the Head of 1795, has a pointed bust tip and a shoulder loop. On the reverse of this variety, the wreath has three leaves below each of the eagle's wings, unlike the 1794 or earlier 1795 dollars. The silver plug dollars are known on several die varieties, but usually on just a few coins of each. It is thought that during planchet production, a planchet would be slightly short weight. Under most circumstances it would have to be melted. Some bright person at the Mint decided to use the 1792 silver center cent as an example, and drill out the center of the blank silver dollar planchet, insert a silver "plug", and strike the coin normally. The plug would flatten out and become a part of the coin, in the processing increasing the weight to the desired standard (PCGS # 6854) . Estimated Value $6,000 - 7,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $16,100
Lot 2777		1795 Flowing Hair Dollar. Silver plug. NGC graded VF-35 BB-18. Medium to deep "antique" gray with a splash of lighter toning below the bust and on the high points of the design. Well centered on an attractive planchet, with bold fresh design, clean rims, and evidence of an inserted plug being used to bright the weight of the coin up to coin standard. Rare in all grades. Estimated Value $6,000 - 7,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold