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Lot 973
1795. Draped Set Left B-14, BB-51 Rarity 2. NGC graded MS-64 Star PL. Marvelous light golden iridescence graces both sides of this spectacular Draped Bust Dollar. A truly wonderful choice. Phenomenal prooflike surfaces. Has the appearance of a specimen striking. Both sides display balanced and natural shades of light old-silver color. The visual appeal is superb on both sides. Fully struck from centering dot to rims including complete stars, just a tiny flat spot on the eagle's chest and forward leg. A handsome, detailed, and incredibly well made and preserved 1795 Draped Bust dollar! Importantly, there are no adjustment marks visible, which sets this apart from most others who show them in places often inside the rims. We might also impress upon the reader that any contact marks that are present are trivial. Not just light, but trivial in the extreme. Certainly among the handpicked ambassadors of its Bust Dollar design, this example earns its place in the collection of a numismatist who recognizes the value of aesthetic beauty as well as rarity. Pop 1; none finer at NGC for the variety. Only 2 BB-51 examples graded Prooflike by NGC (PCGS # 39996) .
Variety Notes: BB-51 represents the very first appearance of the new Draped Bust dollar design coined during 1795. On the obverse, the portrait of Liberty is somewhat off-center and to the left, leaving her lowest curl very close, almost crowding star one, which the fellow with the star punch had to position exactly in the small space provided. The reverse displays a newly rendered eagle perched in the clouds, with an olive branch to the left and a palm branch to the right. This exact reverse die, bearing lettering in a small font, went on to be re-used for coinage through the year 1798!
A short, prominent die scratch extends up to left from tip of right, inside leaf below (observer's) left wing. A berry under A of STATES is a quick way to identify this reverse. This reverse die, as we said, is one of the most remarkable in all of American numismatics, and was mated with obverse dies bearing four different dates. The features are cut in shallow enough relief, and the rim is being relatively low, this must have contributed to its longevity. Many later impressions from the die appear somewhat flat, a situation particularly evident on post-1795 coins in VF or lower grades. The shallow relief does not materially affect the appearance of higher grade coins, which often have exquisite detail as seen here and including an almost full complement of eagle feathers.
Reverse die used to strike 1795 BB-51; 1796 BB-62, BB-63, and BB-66 (now relapped); 1797 BB-72; and 1798 BB-81.
According to the Bowers encyclopedia when describing the first use of this new design in 1795: "The obverse and reverse punches for the 1795 Draped Bust dollar far exceeded in quality anything created earlier. If [John] Eckstein did the Draped Bust and Small Eagle device punches, he is certainly deserving of a niche in the Pantheon of numismatic notables, for the Draped Bust motif went on to be used for many years, not only in the silver dollar series, but with other denominations from the half cent to the half dollar. The Small Eagle reverse, too, is a masterpiece of intricate engraving."
Estimated Value $200,000-UP.
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| Realized $223,250 |
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