Q. David Bowers
The "World's Greatest Collection" (F.C.C. Boyd Collection) sold by Numismatic Gallery, May 11-12, 1945, included an important group of early silver dollars, among which were an Uncirculated 1794 and a complete set of 1801-2-3 novodel "restrikes." Boyd was one of the most prominent numismatists on the New York City scene, and was a connoisseur who truly appreciated his coins. By 1945, his interests turned toward colonial coins, tokens, and medals, and he considered his federal series to be superfluous to his needs. The Boyd silver coins were auctioned by the Numismatic Gallery (Abe Kosoff and Abner Kreisberg) in 1945, and the gold coins crossed the block in 1946.
Unfortunately for today's readers, the catalogue descriptions were bare-bones, no historical information or pedigrees were given, and readers were left with little beyond variety and grade. Further, when a variety was unlisted by Haseltine--as several were the cataloguers did not describe the new dies or combinations in detail.
As if this were not enough to digest, the researcher today does not know how many coins were attributed correctly. Plates in the catalogue indicate that what was described as a 1797 H-2 was actually an H-3, and what was described as an H-3 was really an H-2, perhaps a simple case of transposition. 1798 H-16 was illustrated with what appears to be an HIS. A new variety described as 1796 H-6 was in actuality die state of H-5.
1794 Unc. $2,000.00.
1795 H-1. Unc. $145.00.
1795 H-2. VF. Light pinpricks on face. All lettering sharp. $24.00.
1795 H-3. VF. $43.00.
1795 H-4. VF. $35.00.
1795 H-5. EF, much mint lustre. $85.00.
1795 H-6. About EF. $50.00.
1795 H-7. VF. Two light scratches near temple. A sharp, boldly struck example. $37.50.
1795 H-8. VF. Wear on high spots of head and eagle; sharp stars and lettering. $75.00.
1795 H-9. Slight edge dents. Fine. $20.00.
1795 H-9a. Unlisted by Haseltine. VF. $75.00.
1795 H-10. Unc. $150.00.
1795 H-11. VF. $35.00.
1795 H-12. Fine. $27.50.
1795 H-14. Unc. $110.00.
1795 H-15. VF. $27.50.
1795 H-15a. Well centered, barely circulated. $60.00.
1796 H-1. VF. $55.00.
1796 H-2. VF; well centered. $60.00.
1796 H-3. VF. $65.00. [unknown if correctly attributed]
1796 H-4. VF or better. Nice lustre. $55.00.
1796 H-5. An EF example with much lustre. Slightest wear on high spots. $100.00.
1796 H-6. Unlisted in Haseltine. VF. $50.00. [Actually a late state of H-5]
1797 H-1a. Fine. $35.00.
1797 H-2. Fine to VF. $37.50. [Illustrated with an H-3]
1797 H-3. VF. $40.00. [Illustrated with an H-2]
1798 H-1. VF. $55.00.
1798 H-2. Fine to VF. $67.50.
1798 H-2A. Not in Haseltine. VF. $65.00.
1798 H-3. Fine. $35.00.
1798 H-6. EF. $40.00.
1798 H-6a. Not listed in Haseltine. Fine. $20.00.
1798 H-7. Fine. $30.00.
1798 H-8. VF. $35.00.
1798 H-10. Slight wear on reverse. Unc. $35.00.
1798 H-11. EF, nice lustre. $35.00.
1798 H-12. VF. $30.00.
1798 H-13. VF. $25.00.
1798 H-14. VF. $20.00.
1798 H-15. Barely circulated with nice lustre. $45.00.
1798 H-16. Unc, $120.00. [The plate in the catalogue is not an H-16, and appears to be an H-15. Because of the possibility for error, this coin was not surveyed for use in this book, under either H-16 or H-15.]
1798 H-17. Fine. $25.00.
1798 H-18. VF with slight edge dent. $30.00.
1798 H-19. VF. $22.50.
1798 H-20. Barely circulated. Cabinet friction on high spots. $20.00.
1798 H-21. VF. $50.00.
1798 H-22. VF. $17.50.
1798 H-23. VF. $25.00.
1798 H-24. VF. $25.00.
1798 H-25. Fine. $20.00.
1798 H-26. VF. $20.00.
1798 H-26a. Fine. $30.00.
1798 H-27. Barely circulated. $60.00.
1798 H-28. Unc. $60.00.
1798 H-28a. About Fine. $20.00.
1798 H-29. EF. $30.00.
1798 H-30. EF. $50.00.
1798 H-31. VF. Light obverse scratch. $20.00. [Probably not as described.]
1798 H-32. VF. $35.00. [Probably not as described.]
1798 H-33. Fine. $25.00. [Probably not as described.]
1798 H-34. VF. $35.00. [Probably not as described.]
1799 H-1. van. $75.00.
1799 H-3. Unc, $75.00.
1799 H-4. VF. $15.00.
1799 H-5. VF. $20.00.
1799 Slight cabinet friction on head. Choice. $50.00.
1799 H-7. Fine. $17.50.
1799 H-8. Unc, $45.00.
1799 H-9. van. $70.00.
1799 H-9a. [Described as obverse of H-9, reverse of H-5.] Light scratches across head. VF. $17.50.
1799 H-10. Fine. $15.00.
1799 H-11. VF. $17.50.
1799 H-11a. Dne. $70.00.
1799 H-12. VF. $15.00.
1799 H-12a. EF. $30.00.
1799 H-13. VF. $22.50.
1799 H-14. VF. $17.50.
1799 H-14a. EF. $30.00.
1799 H-15. VF.'$20.00.
1799 H-16. VF. $22.50.
1799 H-17a. VF. $20.00.
1799 H-18. EF. $25.00.
1799 H-19. Fine. $17.50.
1799 H-21. Fine. $12.50.
1799 H-2/a. VF. $30.00.
1799 H-22. VG to Fine. $12.50.
1799 H-23. Barely circulated. $70.00.