Lot 1191
1803. Large 3. B-6, BB-255 Rarity 2. NGC graded AU Details, improperly cleaned. The coin has an excellent look with uniform greyish-brown toning on both sides. Sometimes on this issue, the devices that were left by the dies are short of the required precision due to weak die pressure (bust dollars were struck on a hand-operated press), but we find the opposite to be the case here, everything is finely detailed, including the center hair curls, the shield's bars and strips. Including in this also, a full scroll with deeply impressed E PLURIBUS UNUM held in the eagle's beak. All a part of the careful minting.
Side note: A curious heraldic blunder occurs on the 1798-1803 dollars in showing the bunch of arrows in eagle's dexter or more honorable claw (observer's 1eft), the olive branch for peace in the sinister or less honorable claw (observer's right). On the Great Seal of the United States, from which the design is copied, these are the other way around. Also, when making the dies, the working hubs for the larger denominations lacked the full bunch of arrows, berries on branch, stars above eagle's head, and protruding end of stem; these details had to be entered into each working die by hand, a laborious task and often one where mistakes or inconsistencies happen.
Estimated Value $4,000 - 4,500.
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