Lot 1660
1798 Draped Bust Dollar. Heraldic eagle reverse, close date. NGC graded AU-55. Mostly untoned with a hint of light russet brown and "old silver" tone. Pop 1; finest graded for the variety. Die cracks through date, as most often seen on this variety. "I believe that 300 to 500 examples are known of 1798 BB-123, making it in the middle range of availability. Nearly all are in lower grades through EF. AU coins are very rare," according to Bowers.
BB-123 is the "Blundered Stars Reverse" with blundered star placement; some stars overlap clouds. Perhaps, the engraver had too much rum (or "ayle," per National Archives records) while cutting this die! Two uppermost stars in center partly in clouds. Cloud 4 has two rays of a star superimposed on it at lower left; clouds 5 and 6, which overlap, are with the top ray of a star touching cloud 5, the ray to the left of it barely touching the cloud, and the ray to the right slightly overlapping cloud 6. A star touches point of upper part of eagle's beak; star ray points to right side of B in PLURIBUS. Line star pattern.
Estimated Value $7,500 - 9,000.
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| Realized $9,200 |
