Lot 991
1800 "AMERICAI" B-19, BB-192 Rarity 2. NGC graded AU Details Improperly Cleaned. AMERICAI variety (one of two AMERICAI die-pairings, the other, which shares this reverse, is BB-191). After the word AMERICA, an almost vertical line, a stray mark (apparently, not a die crack), perhaps from a punch or from a stray piece of metal during the die making process, appears more or less like an "I" added. There are no serifs to the stray mark, and it takes some imagination to call it an I, but the nomenclature has been with us for a long time, and "AMERICAI" it is. Nowhere else in the silver dollar series has a stray die mark done so much for a coin's value and desirability in the eyes of collectors. Other characteristics: Star enters eagle's mouth; point of lower part of beak touches star lightly below point. Upper part of beak does not quite touch. Point of leaf slightly right of being under left upright of I in AMERICA. Middle berry is small and joined to a leaf point by what seems to be a die scratch. A touches 3rd feather only, and ME almost join at bottom. Center of A over cloud 3. Tip of arrowhead under left side of left serif of N in UNITED. Usually (always?) weakly struck at the reverse center and on the stars above the eagle's head.
Estimated Value $4,500 - 5,000.
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