Q. David Bowers
1795 [BB-18] B-7. Richly toned prooflike Uncirculated, somewhat soft strike. Light handling marks near lowest curls. Believed to be by a small margin finest of four top examples of this variety. Ex Bolender, W.G. Baldenhofer, Ostheimer. Pictured (obverse and reverse) on the Bolender plates. $9,000.00.
1795 [BB-21] B-1. Flowing hair type. VF, weak in centers, struck off center so that upper left obverse border is broad, lower right border not on flan, though stars and date are not affected. Planchet defect at edge below 9. $825.00.
1795 [BB-23] B-16. Obverse of the regularly seen B-1; reverse with single outer berry at C, berry below upright of M. The variety was discovered by M.H. Bolender 30 years ago, remaining unique to the present day. A lovely borderline Uncirculated specimen with some faint obverse scratches, numerous reverse adjustment marks and lovely iridescent toning. Full breast feathers, though with a small round nick on them. Ex Bolender, K.P. Austin and AJ. Ostheimer. (Pictured on the Bolender plates). $13,000.00.
1795 [BB-25] B-6. The regularly seen 3 leaves reverse as on the common Bolender-5 but with the rarer obverse die immediately identifiable by top of Y too high. Better than VF, with much mint lustre near letters, stars, and devices. Traces of old cleaning, couple of small light rim dents either side. Many obverse adjustment marks, as made. Unknown to exist in full Mint State, and a grossly undervalued coin, at least 10 times scarcer than the B-5. Early die state, no clash marks. $825.00.
1795 [BB-26] B-12b. Three leaves. E repunched, I B too far apart, reverse of B-5, B-6; but the extremely rare state III, later than any known to Bolender, with heavy break from rim through 7 (a horizontal lump between 7 and the break) and extending up to near ear. VG/Fine, some of the central obverse weakness undoubtedly because of die failure. The variety is a very high R-6, this final die state R-8, the only other one seen to date being the former E. Taylor coin. $675.00.
1795 [BB-27] B-5. Almost EF. Light reverse rim dent. Early state, only the beginning of the crack from stem end to rim. $2,600.00.
1795 [BB-51] B-14. AU and richly toned with much of its original mint surfaces still intact. Central reverse adjustment marks. Ex Bolender, K.P. Austin and AJ. Ostheimer. Pictured obverse and reverse on the Bolender plates. $5,000.00.
1795 [BB-52] B-15a. With the rare reverse advanced die cracks not known to Bolender (rim above D through Sand leaves below TAT, and at tops of ICA); advanced rust marks in fields. EF, sharp, lustrous, with warm irregular toning. Probably one of the last ones made, late October 1795. $2,500.00.
1796 [BB-61] B-4. Small Date, large letters. Perfect curls, struck before die was reground). AU or better, deeply toned and lustrous, though with two or three small rubbed places. Ex Baldenhofer, Ostheimer. $5,750.00.
1796 [BB-63] B-2. Similar. The small date is slightly curved and almost evenly spaced. VF for the coin, central details weaker than the rest as always (compare the Bolender plate coin). R-5, or about as rare as last. $850.00.
1796 [BB-65] B-5. Large date, small letters. AU, mostly deeply toned and lustrous, but with four or five similar light areas of rubbing. Not known to exist in full Mint State. Ex Baldenhofer, Ostheimer. $6,500.00.
1796 [BB-66] B-1. Practically Uncirculated, deeply toned but with much mint lustre, light cabinet friction in very center of reverse, many central obverse adjustment marks. Very rare and long known as the unequaled finest of this variety. Ex R. Coulton Davis, Baldenhofer, Ostheimer. $5,000.00.
1797 [BB-71] B-3c. Warmly toned Uncirculated, a number of reverse scratches on eagle. Well struck, frosty and beautiful. Probably the finest known. Ex Baldenhofer, Ostheimer. $6,250.00.
1797 [BB-72] B-2. Obverse almost VF and may quality at that level; reverse better than Fine, probably should be graded asVF in terms of actual wear, This great rarity was struck from a very worn reverse die, and the reverse weakness is absolutely characteristic. (Compare 1798 B-2 below, which is struck from the same reverse die, and which though AU and lustrous still shows abnormal weakness in the same places as this coin.) Clean surfaces suggestive of VF, with only minimal handling marks. One of the top six specimens known, out of possibly 20 survivors of only 342 minted, February 28, 1797. $1,550.00.
1797 [BB-73] B-1e. AU, deeply and irregularly toned, lustrous, with several tiny rubbed places. The most advanced die state known, shattered and bulged. Ex Baldenhofer, Ostheimer, $6,750.00.
1798 [BB-81] B-2a, With the extended obverse scratches. AU, deeply toned with flashes of original mint brilliance; unusually sharp strike; a couple of small rubbed places, less noticeable than on some of the earlier pieces in this group. One of two finest known of this well known variety. Ex Lester Merkin, November 1965, Ostheimer. $5,100.00.
1798 [BB-82] B-1a. VF or better. $560.00.
1798 [BB-95] B-7. Same type. Same obverse, reverse with normal A. VG. One of possibly six known, all in worn condition. The first time one of this variety has been publicly auc.tioned, to our knowledge, in the last 20 years. $485.00.
1798 [BB-96] B-6. Reverse solid base to first' A of AMERICA. Struck before the die was cracked or reground. VF, lustrous, warmly toned, with few minute handling marks, mostly on obverse. Very scarce. $445.00.
1798 [BB-101] B-17. Very wide date, dentils weak and Widely spaced at bottom and left; reverse of Bolender-6b reground, berries almost invisible. EF, lustrous, iridescently toned. One of three finest known of this famous Rarity-7. Pictured (obverse) on the Bolender plate. Ex Boyd, WGC, Bolender, Ruby. $1,050.00.
1798 [BB-102] B-20a. Rim break below tail. Nearly EF, weak in centers. Mint lustre and iridescent toning. Very rare break, unknown to Bolender at the time of writing his book, but presumably known to him later as this piece is ex Bolender, Ruby. $475.00.
1798 [BB-104] B-22a. With the beginning of the break down through E of STATES (usually without break). VF or better, centers not well up; tiny rim dent near ninth star. Very scarce, much more than Bolender realized. $260.00.
1798 [BB-105] B-23a. Lapped die, removing most of second curl from bottom and highest wave atop head. Better than VF, nearly EF, weak as always with this die state; excellent surfaces, irregular toning. $300.00.
1798 [BB-107] B-21. Borderline Uncirculated, really full Mint State but too many plain adjustment marks in central obverse. Frosty, with beautiful iridescent tone. Finest known and unequaled. Approached only by three AUs. Ex Bolender, Ruby. $1,800.00.
1798 [BB-111] B-11 b. Very rare break across head and field almost taking out last star. Fine or better for the coin, central obverse weakness unquestionably due to the advanced die failure. Probably one of the last made from this die. $280.00.
1798 [BB-113] B-27. Very deeply toned Uncirculated, sharply struck and believed finest known. Ex K.P. Austin, Ostheimer. $5,750.00.
1798 [BB-115] B-31a. Extremely rare shattered die. EF, the reverse seemingly VF but its weakness is definitely from die failure. Unusually broad border. Mint lustre and iridescent toning. One of three finest known of this famous Rarity-7, Ex Bolender plate coin. $775.00.
1798 [BB-116] B-30. Fine double profile, Rainbow toned Uncirculated, lustrous and as sharp as this variety comes. Very rare, and long known to be finest of the variety. Nothing in this class has been auctioned in the last 30 years. Ex Baldenhofer, Ostheimer. $5,300.00.