Q. David Bowers
1798 [BB-96] B-6a. High R-3. Knobbed 9, close date. EF-40, highly glossy finish, very clean, but struck off center towards the top of the obverse and correspondingly on the reverse about 2%. $775.00.
1798 [BB-96] B-6b. Not quite VF-20, even gray tone, very clean, and has just a few obverse adjustment marks at the center. $400.00.
1798 [BB-101] B-17. F-15, some obverse toning, weakly struck up at the borders. Reverse shows some light adjustment marks center and right through AME. $375.00.
1798 [BB-101] B-17. R-7. VF-20 where struck up, dull light gray tone, and a relatively clean specimen. $500.00.
1798 [BB-102] B-20a. High R-4. Reverse rim break below eagle's tail. VF-25, pearl gray tone and partly iridescent revere. Weakly struck up in the centers as usual and slightly off center. $475.00.
1798 [BB-102] B-20a. Same die state. F-15 and clean, hut there is a planchet defect at the bust and correspondingly at O of OF on the reverse. $275.00.
1798 [BB-102] B-20a. VF-25, rainbow toned, and very decent, but someone shaved a small piece off the edge above D of UNITED. Obverse better struck up than the last. $450.00.
1798 [BB-104] B-22. R-6. About VF-20, oddly toned, but clean. Minor obverse pin scratches barely visible. $400.00.
1798 [BB-105] B-23. R-3. VF-30 or better, although the bold reverse certainly qualifies for a full EF-40 grade. Lightly toned, well centered, and struck. Clean and attractive except for a flat rub on Liberty's cheek. $675.00.
1798 [BB-105] B-23. VF-28, light gray and clean. Well struck. $450.00.
1798 [BB-105] B-23a. Defective second curl from bottom. AU-55 or so, brilliant centers bordered with iridescent blue toning. Beautiful and lustrous, but obverse is well handled and shows much contact with other coins. $2,000.00.
1798 [BB-105] B-23a. VF-20, even dark blue tone, but slightly dented below 179 of date; after which, some repairman attempted to improve the damage by buffing the dented spot. $325.00.
1798 [BB-106] B-19. High R-5. The bisecting break. Early strike. EF-40, but processed. While the obverse shows many handling marks, none are really serious. Not quite perfect centering, but well struck considering the state of the dies. $725.00.
1798 [BB-107] B-21. R-6. EF-40, lovely iridescent toning, clean and very bold. Four small reverse rim bruises above UNITED and the left wing. $1,350.00.
1798 [BB-108] B-13. R-1. Reverse with 10 arrows. EF-40, lustrous with a light tone, but obviously cleaned at one time. Not perfectly centered, but clean with more than the usual amount of reverse adjustment marks. $825.00.
1798 [BB-109] B-10. R-6. VF-30 where struck up. Dull gray and iridescent tone and clean, except for some edge bruises and nicks above LIBERTY. $425.00.
1798 [BB-110] B-16a. Unpublished perfect obverse die (unique?) without any trace of the usual break (see following lot). VF-20 where struck up, mostly gray toned with some iridescence around the stars on the obverse and devices on the reverse, and without defects. Weakly struck up at Liberty's bust and the general right portion of the obverse and correspondingly the reverse. $475.00.
1798 [BB-110] B-16. R-7. EF-40, lovely even natural toning, very clean, with a well centered obverse. Reverse struck slightly off towards the top. There are a few microscopic edge nicks, the most noticeable between ES of STATES. $925.00.
1798 [BB-111] B-11. R-5. No spur on 9. VF-30, naturallight tone, many light handling marks, but generally well appearing. Reverse struck off center to the upper left. Minor scrape between the 9th and 10th stars and a minute rim nick opposite the 11th star. $600.00.
1798 [BB-111] B-11b. About F-12, dark gray, very clean, but with a handful' of minute obverse and reverse rim nicks. $300.00.
1798 [BB-111] B-11 b. Fine or better for the coin, central obverse weakness unquestionably due to the advanced die failure. $325.00.
1798 [BB-112] B-15. R-2. EF45 obverse, there arejust too many obverse handling marks to qualify for AU; reverse fully AU-50. Well centered, struck, and lustrous. $1,000.00.
1798 [BB-113] B-27. R-2. Reverse cracked. Very deeply toned Unc., sharply struck and believed finest known. An MS-60, the deep toning is partly iridescent and conceals full, nearly flawless, lustrous mint surface. A good strike, the silhouette of Liberty's chin, lips, and nose is outstanding. Not perfectly centered. $3,500.00.
1798 [BB-114] B-26. R4. Close Date, 8 high and out of position. VF-30, poorly struck up at centers, but relatively clean and attractive. High Condition Census. $425.00.
1798 [BB-115] B-31a. R-6. EF45, lightly toned obverse, with a darker gray tone on the reverse. Reverse weakly struck up above eagle's head as usual. Minimal signs of handling, but well rubbed on the high spots. Not perfectly centered, but very attractive and lustrous. $925.00.
1798 [BB-115] B-31a. VF-30, mostly even gray color, and exceptionally clean. Good obverse centering and flatly struck up at Liberty's bust and correspondingly on the reverse as always with this variety. $475.00.
1798 [BB-116] B-30. F-15 or better for this usually weakly struck variety. Very clean with some original lustre around some of the devices. $350.00.
1798 [BB-116] B-30. R-5. 13-arrow reverse. Fine double proftle. AU-50, slight rainbow toning, lustrous, as sharp as this variety comes. Tiny rim bruise opposite lOth star. Fairly well centered and has some signs of obverse handling. $1,500.00.
1798 [BB-116] B-30a. Advanced reverse die cracks. About F-10, golden toned, and clean except for a few of just the slightest rim bruises, the only obvious one above A of AMERICA. $300.00.
1798 [BB-118] B-28a. High R-5. Perfect reverse die. VF-30, rather dull obverse is somewhat iridescently toned. Without visible defects, unless one might notice a tiny rim bruise or two above IT and part of E of UNITED on the reverse. $800.00.
1798 [BB-118] B-28. F-12, even color, lightly polished at one time and there is one medium obverse scratch before Liberty's neck and a handful of rim bruises or nicks on both sides, the most serious being a large one just left of OF. Rare variety that will probably go unappreciated to some type or date collector. $275.00.
1798 [BB-118] B-28. Later state of the reverse die break. F-12, but there are a dozen or more obverse pin scratches before Liberty's face and one small nick on her lower neck. Reverse off center and with two edge nicks and a rim bruise. $275.00.
1798 [BB-118] B-28. Possibly the latest die state known, as the two reverse breaks on either side of the eagle's right foot are joined together to form a very large, bulging break. VG-7, even color, off center to the right and exceptionally clean. $220.00.
1798 [BB-119] B-29. R-3. AU-50, but rubbed on the high points of the obverse. Bluish toning around part of the edges, clean, and partly lustrous. Obverse very poorly centered. $1,250.00.
1798 [BB-120] B-12. R4. EF45 or better, but cleaned. Well centered and struck, except for the center portion of the reverse. $925.00.
1798 [BB-120] B-12a. F-12 or so, natural tone, but there is one obverse rim bruise at 7:00 and half a dozen more noticeable ones on the reverse. $375.00.
1798 [BB-120] B-12a. Unpublished shattered die, Better than VF for coin. $500.00.
1798 [BB-121] B-9. R4. Compact date. VF-35. Uneven gray tone with a partly lustrous and sunset toned reverse. Weakly struck up at the centers, as usual. Clean, but has a few distinguishing tiny handling marks. $750.00.
1798 [BB-122] B-14a. A classic F-15, toned, and clean, save for a few microscopic rim bruises above LIBERTY. $375.00.
1798 [BB-122] B-14a. High R-5. Better than VF, some areas suggest EF, mint lustre. Iridescent tone. $600.00. :
1798 [BB-122] B-14a. Just VF-20, toned, and clean. $510.00.
1798 [BB-123] B-8. R-1. Pointed 9, EF40, sharp with minor obverse handling, but comparatively clean. Probably "dipped" some years ago, now beginning to lightly tarnish a little. $850.00.
1798 [BB-124] B-25. R·4. "Whisker" variety. F-15 with a trifle iridescent tone. Pleasing well centered and clean, save for an edge bruise at 3:00 on the reverse. $350.00.
1798 [BB-124] B-25b. Extensive die breaks all around the obverse. VF-35, once cleaned, now retorting iridescently. Poorly centered with a microscopic edge nick midway below 98. There is also a defect on Liberty's bust and correspondingly on the reverse side, possibly from being hit with a blunt object. $700.00.