Lot 1396
1799. Small star reverse, BD-2 Rarity-5. PCGS graded XF Details, Tooled. This is a scarce die variety and important in that it shows the later die state of the reverse. This reverse die was used in 1798 for coinage and is one of the last appearances of the "star cross" pattern of stars above the eagle. This style used by John Smith Gardner and has the stars arranged in straight lines, similar to those on the Great Seal. With the formation of the clouds, engraving the stars in straight lines in this manner made them awkwardly placed, some too close to the clouds, other touching the eagle. Thus Mint Engraver Robert Scot changed this star arrangement to the arc stars pattern where the stars followed the natural lines of the clouds and this continued in use through 1807.
The reverse die shows a late and well developed series of cracks. The heaviest extends down through the left side of the O in OF, jogs left about midway down that letter, then down stright into the eagle's head and continues down (though hard to see here) to a crack that splits the left (facing) claw of the eagle to the rim below. Two other radial cracks are seen, one through the left side of the M and another through C both in AMERICA. Clearly the die was crumbling at this point and not many more would have been struck. Despite its surface smoothing, this is an important collector coin! Only 7,431 struck (PCGS # 8081) .
Estimated Value $2,500 - 3,000.
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