Lot 1081
1799 Draped Bust $1 B-18, BB-154. Rarity 5. PCGS graded EF-45. A carefully preserved Bust Dollar of this scarce variety with strong fundamentals including clear, undamaged rims and fields (only a single shallow mark on the neck), exceptional hair and eagle definition, and featuring the defining die break that may have shortened the life of the die. A crack is clearly seen from the rim crossing between ED of UNITED on the reverse, to the eagle's wing. Nicely struck, therefore, more totally than many 1799-dated silver dollars. The toning drifts ever so slightly between medium "old silver" hues to deeper steel and pewter gray shades.
1799 BB-154 is the second rarest die variety of 1799, according to the Bowers encyclopedia, "and is exceeded only by BB-151. I estimate that only 60 to 100 are known. Nearly all of these are in well-worn grades. A few coins described as Uncirculated came on the market years ago, but it is probable that most would grade less today." This BB-154 is an ideal example of a coin that the precision-minded buyer is looking for. Importantly, check out these numbers: Pop 1; 2 finer in 55. Only 3 examples graded for the variety at PCGS. (PCGS # 40046) .
Estimated Value $6,000 - 7,000.
Ex; Hesselgesser Collection.
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