1799/8 $1 15 Reverse Stars MS(PCGS#6883)

Spring 2019 Baltimore U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

7313

等级

XF45

价格

37,001

详细说明

1799/8 Draped Bust Silver Dollar. BB-141, B-3. Rarity-3. 15-Star Reverse. EF-45 (PCGS). Attractively original Choice EF quality for this perennially popular early dollar variety. Bathed in rich dove gray patina, both sides also reveal iridescent undertones of deep gold and powder blue as the surfaces dip into a light. Nicely centered within fully denticulated borders, bold to sharp definition is evident throughout the design. BB Die State II. The 1799/8 silver dollar with the intriguing 15 Stars reverse is a fascinating, if not bizarre, story of the early Philadelphia Mint's attempts at covering up engraving blunders as well as their recycling of older dies. When this obverse was originally cut, it bore a 1798 date but for unknown reasons was not put into immediate use. It was then brought out of storage and recut with a 1799 date but left behind clear evidence of the earlier date. While overdates are hardly unusual, the reverse die is the opposite story and tells a tale of improvisation and adaptation. When the die cutter was engraving the arc of stars above the eagle's head on the reverse, he placed a top row of seven stars, then a second row of six stars, then flanked the eagle with two additional stars, one on either side. At some point, the engraver realized that this resulted in 15 stars and not the intended 13. In an attempt to cover up the two extraneous stars, the die cutter drastically enlarged the leftmost and rightmost clouds, creating a rather unbalanced and very distinct composition unique to this die pairing. While the intent was admirable, the cover-up was not completely successful since clear traces of the two stars can still be seen upon close inspection. The 1799-dated silver dollars were struck in significant quantities, with approximately 400,000 coins (per Bowers, 2013) struck from 22 known die pairs, three of which bear the 1799/8 overdate. Perhaps 700 to 1,200 examples of the BB-141 die marriage are known today, making this variety relatively accessible to collectors and enthusiasts. Provenance: From the Greenway Collection. Stack's paper envelope with attribution notation included. PCGS# 6883. NGC ID: 24X8. Click here for certification details from PCGS.