Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 78

January Pre-Long Beach Sale 17.5% BP

Flowing Hair Dollars

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1242		1795 B-9, BB-13 Rarity 4 Flowing Hair 2 Leaves. PCGS graded VG-10. A pleasing problem-free example. Lightly toned with good eye appeal. The flowing hair dollar design was used in 1794 and again in 1795 before being retired. It is a popular Red Book "Type" and America's earliest silver dollar (PCGS # 39980) . Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,820
Lot 1243		1795. Off-Center Bust B-14, BB-51 Rarity 2. ICG graded Fine-12. Nice even wear. Mislabeled on the ICG holder as "B-4, BB-14 2 Leaves" According to Bowers: "Conventional numismatic wisdom has it that the new Draped Bust obverse was the pride and joy of Henry William DeSaussure, Mint director since June 1795, who upon taking office stated that he wanted to do two things: circulate gold coins and improve the design of all denominations, particularly silver. Portrait artist Gilbert Stuart (best known today for his depiction of George Washington, unfinished at the bottom familiarly displayed in schoolrooms) was hired, and is said to have prepared a drawing of Mrs. William Bingham, the former Ann Willing. John Eckstein, a Providence, Rhode Island artist of uncertain ability (per Breen), translated the sketches into plaster (probably) models, which may have been Liberty head and eagle device punches, for Mint Engraver Robert Scot. The record shows that on September 9, 1795, Eckstein was paid $30 for �two models for dollars.�" (PCGS # 39996) . Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,100. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1244		1796. BB-65, B-5. Rarity 4. Sharpness of Fine, however badly cleaned. Late in the year 1795 the Draped Bust obverse with Small Eagle reverse was adopted for silver dollar coinage. Artist Gilbert Stuart, contemplating the Flowing Hair motif, remarked in 1795 that "Liberty on the other coins had run mad. We will bind it up and thus render her a steady matron." Accordingly, Stuart created what we know today as the Draped Bust obverse motif. The new design depicted the draped portrait of Liberty facing right, the word LIBERTY above, the date below, and stars to left and right, on the obverse. The reverse showed an eagle perched on a cloud within a wreath composed of an olive branch to the left and palm leaves to the right, tied with a bow at the bottom. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds, with particularly wide spacing between the words. This style was continued through early 1798 and is similar to that used on half dimes and dimes of 1796 and 1797, quarters of 1796, and half dollars of 1796 and 1797. A popular, and elusive series. Estimated Value $1,500 - 1,600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,586
Lot 1245		1797. B-1 BB-73 Rarity 3. ANACS graded Fair-2. Well worn and toned. Only the date partial and the eagle partial seen. A low grade Bust Dollar. Estimated Value $350 - 400. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $599
Lot 1246		1798. B-1 BB-82. Rarity 3. Small Eagle, 13 Stars On Obverse. PCGS graded VF-30. Light even toning. Only 30,000 struck. Of the two 1798 die varieties with Small Eagle reverse (BB-81 and BB-82), 1798 BB-82 is the more available, but only by a slight edge. 1798 BB-82 is the only 1798-dated dollar with 13 obverse stars in combination with the Small Eagle reverse; all others are mated with the Heraldic Eagle reverse. An estimated 700 to 1,000 1798 BB-82 silver dollars exist according to the Bowers-Borckhardt reference on the series. Bowers states that "Several hundred specimens exist, most of which are VF. EF examples are quite scarce, and any coin in better grade is rare. True Mint State coins are great rarities. I am not aware of any Mint State coin sold in recent years." Pop 106; 75 finer at PCGS. (PCGS # 6867) . Estimated Value $6,000 - 6,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,463
Lot 1247		1799. B-12 BB-160 Rarity 3. PCGS graded AU-53. Mostly untoned. Luster evident on both sides. Somewhat unevenly struck as these were coined on a hand-operated screw press which imparted a forceful "squeeze" to the silver dollar blank, thereby imparting obverse and reverse die images. An important transition year, 1799, and also identifiable as the year ex President George Washington died (Dec. 14, 1799). 1799 BB-160 is one of the more plentiful issues of the year, according to the Bowers-Borckhardt encyclopedia although it does not compare with the ready availability of the almost omnipresent BB-166 and BB-163. Bowers suggests that about 650 to 1,150 of the 1799 BB-160 variety exist (PCGS # 6878) . Estimated Value $5,000 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,756
Lot 1248		1799. Stars 8 x 5. B-23 BB-159. Rarity 4. NGC graded XF Details, Improperly Cleaned. Nice blue and golden toning, deepening at the rims, leaving the centers lighter in color. This is the popular 8x5 Stars Type (individually noted in the Guide Book of United States Coins. It has long been a favorite with collectors. The late-18th Century US coins are admirable examples of our formative years as a country. Most of the population resided on the East Coast close to the Atlantic or in nearby waterways, where access to markets and towns was easiest. John Adams of Braintree, Massachusetts was President at the time this 1799 Silver Dollar was minted. Estimated Value $1,900 - 2,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,056
Lot 1249		1799/8 B-2, BB-143 Rarity 4 PCGS graded Genuine XF Details. Cleaning. Mostly untoned. From the Bowers' extensive research on Bust Dollar, published 25 years ago with Borckhardt in an unfortunately out-of-print two-volume set: "1799/8 BB-143 is the scarcest of the three overdate die varieties of the year. I believe that 250 to 450 of this variety exist. This estimate, if accurate, makes BB-143 at least twice as elusive as BB-142 and about three times harder to find than BB-141." (PCGS # 40066) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,300. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,585
Lot 1250		1799. B-23 BB-159. Rarity 4. 8 x 5 Stars PCGS graded Genuine VF Details. Tooled. Evidence of any ancient tooling not readily discernible. Medium silver grey color evenly distributed on both sides. Coin has VF30 Details and is quite attractive. Popular Red Book variety with this unusual star arrangement on the obverse (PCGS # 40063) . Estimated Value $2,750 - 3,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1251		1800 B-10, BB-190 Rarity 3 NGC graded VF Details. Graffiti. Overlaid with attractive natural toning. The graffiti is quite difficult to find with the naked eye. Estimated Value $1,300 - 1,400. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,528
Lot 1252		1801 B-3, BB-213 Rarity 3 Sharpness of Fine. Cleaned long ago but acceptable nonetheless. The dates 1801, 1802 and 1803 are scarce relative to the much higher mintage 1798, 1799 and 1800 issues. Whereas during the period 1794-1799 the intrinsic value of the silver dollar had not exceeded its face value, in 1800 the dollar became worth slightly more as bullion than face value. In 1801 a silver dollar was worth about $1.03. For this reason, mintages declined. As silver dollars continued to be worth more than face value, most (including earlier-minted coins on hand) were melted or exported. The situation was intolerable, and in 1804 production ceased. Estimated Value $1,500 - 1,600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,174
Lot 1253		1802 B-6 BB-241 Rarity 1. NGC graded AU-50. Variegated shades of golden toning on this later-issue Draped Bust Dollar. The surface is clear and free of most marks, which by all measures is a major "plus" when a collector is weighing the decision whether to place a bid or not. Choice rims, attractive originality, and solid numismatic and historic foundations as our earliest period Dollars or Unit of Measure. Only 41,650 silver dollars were reported as having been coined in calendar year 1802. However, the proportionately large number of extant specimens indicates that many more than that must have been coined bearing the 1802 date, in 1803 and/or 1804. Close perfect date. Wide space between 8 and 0. The figure 2 is distant from bust. Right foot of T in LIBERTY missing. This die must have been made about the same time as the reverse for 1801 BB-213, which also displays broken T letters from the same punch. Obverse die used to strike 1802 BB-241 only. This obverse is teamed with a hearty reverse used to strike 1801 BB-212; 1802/1 BB-231; BB-232; 1802 BB-241; 1803 BB-253 ("if it exists" says Bowers); BB-254; and BB-255 (where it showed extreme deterioration). Estimated Value $6,500 - 7,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $5,993