Goldberg Coins and Collectibles



Sale 69


 
 
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Lot 1277

1798 B-32, BB-91 Knob 9, 5 Lines High Rarity 6. PCGS graded MS-61. Subset of PCGS # 40008. In a new secure plus holder. Condition Census. Another prestige-drenched specimen, smooth and mar-free surfaces put on a show with their rich pale gold and even old-silver patina, the overall appearance greatly reinforced by excellent centering on a perfect planchet. Regarding this date Bowers, in his encyclopedia of Bust Silver Dollars says, "I estimate that about 10 to 20 exist of the variety here described as BB-91. The record is not clear on these, for over the years the appellation "Bolender-32," equivalent to BB-91, has been assigned to a number of different unusual and/or otherwise unlisted issues. This obverse was earlier mated with a Small Eagle reverse (style of 1795-1798) to create BB-82, a variety minted early in 1798. Accordingly, BB-91 was probably one of the earliest varieties struck with the Heraldic Eagle reverse."Pop 1; none finer at PCGS for the variety. The Finest Known BB-91.

The reverse on this rare issue has the Large Letters reverse from 1796 type font (larger interior space in A, open S, etc.); 5 lines in each vertical shield element. This was one of the first Heraldic Eagle reverse dies cut in early 1798. Upper part of eagle's beak touches ray of star slightly in from its tip; star points to upper left serif of U in PLURIBUS. Line star pattern. Three stars on left between eagle's beak and clouds-are more in a slightly curved line than in form of a triangle. Leftmost star is puny and undersized. Two eagle claw nails show within talons. Leaf points close to left corner of I in AMERICA, and 4th outside leaf tip is under right base of R in AMERICA. Tip of branch points to tip of rightmost tail feather (compare to reverses of BB-117 and BB-118, the only other 1798 reverses in which this is the case). Berry fairly close to right side of serif of left foot of A. Only 10 perfect arrows, one faint arrow, and two sticks (one of which extends to below center of I in UNITED). Three rightmost perfect arrows each have other arrows on top of them, with arrowheads visible part way down shafts. Raised die defects at AT in STATES.

Reverse die used to strike 1798 BB-91 (earlier use) and BB-92 (later use) (PCGS # 40009) .
Estimated Value $50,000 - 55,000.
Ex: Cardinal Collection; Ex: San Marino Collection; The Dr. Hesselgesser Collection.


 
Realized $34,500



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