Lot 1163
1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Heraldic eagle reverse, close date. PCGS graded VF-20. A very late die state example of this popular variety, this is Bowers die state VII with the heavy crack extending to the last star at the upper point and the area above Liberty's head is starting to mound as seen in the final die state seen. As the obverse die was failing with the heavy pair of cracks from the last star, the centers are always weakly struck. Lovely steel gray fields with lighter silver on the devices. Faint adjustment marks are present on the obverse boarder, and a few shallow scrapes are noted on Liberty. Overall, this is a very nice coin for the moderate grade assigned, and a rare and desirable die state for the specialist.
This is a very interesting die progression, initially the obverse die forms swelling through Liberty's hair, and soon a crack forms through the lower 3 points of the last star. The coiner noticed the obverse crack, removed the die and lapped the crack out, and a few examples are known that show mounding where the original crack was, but it was literally erased from the die with a file of some sort (Bolender 11-a, Bowers State IV), as the die continued to strike more coins, it broke again, this time through the top point of the last star through Liberty's mouth to the back of her head into the field below L. As last the die was retired, but not before it produced one of the most interesting die progressions in the entire Bust dollar series.
Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,500.
From the John Haugh collection.
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| Realized $1,553 |
