Q. David Bowers
In the descriptions of individual varieties of 1794-1804 dollars in this book, the BB number (for Bowers-Borckardt) represents the numerical designation of the variety. The numbering system, new to this book, is arranged in approximate order of the manufacturing of the dies and/or the striking of the coins. The system is not precise-nor could it ever be-for often dies were used in a different order from their order of production. However, the system is more chronological than any heretofore utilized for the series. Collectors and dealers are invited to use it, if desired, in connection with attributing these early dollars.
There are a number of other "B people" who are closely connected with this book, and with early dollars, including Walter H. Breen and Kenneth E. Bressett, not to overlook the historical contributions of M.H. Bolender. Thus, in your own mind, the BB can represent more that just two people, if you wish.
At first it was thought to use the system devised by Capt. John W. Haseltine in 1881 for use in his Type-Table of United States Dollars, Half Dollars, and Quarter Dollars. However, by 1950, when Milferd H. Bolender used it for his book, The United States Early Silver Dollars from 1794 to 1803, he immediately ran into trouble when he found that certain Haseltine (H) numbers represented varieties that did not exist or were erroneously described. Thus, Bolender had gaps in his numbering to omit the listings.
As the Haseltine and Bolender numbering system was closed, when a new variety was discovered, it had to be appended to the end of the numbers already designated for the year. Thus, in Haseltine's listing, 1795 Flowing Hair dollars went from H-1 to H-13, after which were found the two known varieties of 1795 Draped Bust dollars, H-14 and H-15. Bolender translated these numbers to B-1 through B-13 for the Flowing Hair, and B-14 and B-15 for the Draped Bust issues. New Flowing Hair varieties were tacked on to the end of the series, after Draped Bust numbers, to become B-16, B-17, etc. As noted above, among 1800 silver dollars, there are no B-5 and B-7 varieties, as Bolender felt that the Haseltine descriptions were erroneous; ditto for B-9, which does not exist. Hence, a listing of varieties of 1800 dollars by Bolender numbers has the sequence B-1, B-2, B-3, B- 4, B-5, B-8, B-10, B-11, etc.
Under the BB numbers, the numerical listings are open. If and when new die combinations are discovered, they can be numbered adjacent to related known varieties. Credit is due to Harry Salyards, M.D., who upon reviewing an early draft of the silver dollar section, suggested that it might be about time for a new classification system.
The structure is as follows:
1794: BB-1.
1795 Flowing Hair: Begins. with BB-11.
1795 Draped Bust: Begins with BB-51.
1796: Begins with BB-61.
1797: Begins with BB-71.
1798 Small Eagle reverse: Begins with BB-81.
1798 Heraldic Eagle reverse, Knob 9: Begins with BB-91.
1798 Heraldic Eagle reverse, Pointed 9: Begins with BB-101.
1799/8: Begins with BB-141.
1799: Begins with BB-151.
1800: Begins with BB-181.
1801: Begins with BB-211.
1802/1: Begins with BB-231.
1802: Begins with BB-241.
1803: Begins with BB-251.
1801-4 Novodels: Begins with BB-301.