Lot 1799
1795 Draped Bust Dollar. Centered bust. PCGS graded AU-58. B15 6 berries in olive branch. Well struck., indeed, extremely bold for this issue. What's more, the surface has acquired lovely light blue and gold toning. Pop 9; 22 finer. The minor adjustment marks on the reverse are often found on early silver dollars of the draped bust, small eagle Type (PCGS # 6858) .
Henry DeSaussure, the Mint Director, responding to criticisms of the Robert Scot flowing hair design of 1794-5, had a new obverse made based upon a drawing by Gilbert Stuart, the prominent portrait artist whose Washington likeness appears on the $1 bill. It is believed the model for the obverse was Mrs. William Bingham, a famous belle of the day. Mrs. Bingham was a friend of both Washington and Jefferson. The dies were done by Jacob Eckstein, a German-born specialist, in September to October 1795; he was probably responsible for the redesign of the reverse as well which was undertaken at the same time.
The revised reverse quite possibly was designed to allow fuller striking of both sides with the new obverse; the old reverse would have been so placed as to leave the eagle almost headless on most normal strikes.) The first strikes of the new design took place in October 1795.
Estimated Value $20,000 - 25,000.
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| Realized $24,150 |
