Lot 868
1795 B-9, BB-13 Rarity 4. PCGS graded AU-53 PQ. Silver Plug. Housed in a new secure plus holder. Taking into account the Silver Plug, this coin is quite possibly a Rarity 6 or 7. Pop 1; none finer at PCGS for the variety. Appealing multi-dimenstional toning covers both sides beautifully. The Silver Plug is quite pronounced and can be easily seen with the naked eye.
Flowing hair in six curls; the third one from the top turns downward and touches the fourth curl. Two points of the first star touch the lowest curl which ends at star point. The last star or lowest one on the right is mostly under the bust, and a point nearly touches. (The dies for these were hand-made rather than from complete punches as in post-1830s coinage, hence the great variety in the spacing of the stars and date digits, etc.) Noteworthy is the Close date; outlines from repunching appear at top of 5 and right top of 7 (most visible on early impressions from the die). I closer to L than to B with L slightly low. This workhorse obverse die was used to strike 1795 BB-11, BB-12, and BB-13.
Reverse C: Two leaves under each wing. 17 berries, nine on left branch, eight on right. A berry is on the outside of the wreath midway between S and T of STATES, the only variety in which this occurs; the arrangement is similar to that used on the 1794 dollar. This reverse die used to strike 1795 BB-13 and BB-14 (PCGS # 39991) .
Historic note: When David Rittenhouse was hired to be the Philadelphia Mint's first Director, he had a twofold task to accomplish. The first was to begin production of silver coins, especially silver dollars, that would compare favorably in weight to the widely circulated Spanish (Carolus) dollars. Second, the coins had to present well. The first goal was much easier to realize than the second. Adjustment marks and even silver plugs (as here) were used to make early silver dollars conform to weight specifications. How the coins appeared was a matter of considerable experimentation in the first few years and was a process that continued until the Gobrecht design was adopted and modified in the 1830s.
Estimated Value $60,000 - 70,000.
Ex: Hesselgesser Collection.
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| Realized $74,750 |
