Q. David Bowers
1799 [BB-158] B-16b. Rarity-6. F-15. Smoky gold toning enhances the surfaces of the very late die state coin. Well struck from shattered obverse die with all devices complete. Pronounced mounding is visible on the obverse. A single rim bruise at T of UNITED. $352.00.
1799 [BB-159] 8x5 Stars. B-23. Rarity-4. VF-25. Lovely surfaces enhance this popular variety. Choice surfaces with light toning. A crack is developing from the rim to the 10th star on the obverse. $506.00.
1799 [BB-160] B-12a. Rarity-4. VF-25. Cleaned and perhaps lightly polished as the fields are too reflective for a coin with this much wear. Well centered and struck with all devices sharp. Interesting die cracks below and through date and right field. $352.00.
1799 [BB-161] B-11a. Rarity-2. VF-25. Somber and glossy toning throughout perhaps from a gentle cleaning. Few marks distract the eye as it peers over the surfaces. A heavy reverse die break from the rim near the D of UNITED to eagle's mouth. $440.00.
1799 [BB-162] B-6. Rarity-3. VF-25. Harshly cleaned on the obverse and probably used as jewelry as the rim below the date and bust show evidence of mounting. $187.00.
1799 [BB-163] B-10. Rarity-4. AU-50. Impeccably struck. Smoky gold toning on obverse, while the reverse has more abundant gold. The fields hint toward prooflike. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $1,870.00.
1799 [BB-163] B-10. Rarity-4. MS-60. Medium gray with ample lustre in the fields. Defect-free save for a faint hairline scratch on Liberty's neck and a reeding mark above the eagle's head. Reverse color is most pleasant, a soft sea green with loads of frost. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $6,875.00.
1799 [BB-163] B-10a. Rarity-3. AU-50. Bright and frosty and blessed with a sharp strike. Perfectly centered with broad, fat dentils. Whispers of toning just beginning to cling to edges. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $1,760.00.
1799 [BB-163] B-10a. Rarity-3. F-15. Cleaned a bit too harshly to recover fully, the fields show roughness associated with experimentation. Starting to retone with cloudy silver color. Fairly well struck. $308.00.
1799 [BB-164] B-17a. Rarity-4. VF-30. Faint lustre adheres in the fields protected by the devices. Gently cleaned with minute lines visible in a strong light. Nevertheless, the devices are sharply struck, and on the reverse the engraving is especially sharp. $990.00.
1799 [BB-165] B-8a. Rarity-3. EF-40. Graced with dark green and blue peripheral toning and bright centers. Excellent rims and surfaces with no noteworthy marks to detract the inquiring eye. Hints of lustre abound in the protected areas. $770.00.
1799 [BB-166] B-9. Rarity-1. EF-45. Clean and original with peripheral gold toning and remnants of lustre. Strike is complete, each star and curl sharp, the reverse too exhibits full detail. A single nominal rim mark, near the E and some minute etching below IT of UNITED are mentioned for accuracy's sake. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $880.00.
1799 [BB-166] B-9. Rarity-1. G-4. Steel gray fields with lighter devices. No impairments, just abundant wear. Weak at the reverse center from die failure. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $220.00.
1799 [BB-166] B-9a. Rarity-2. AU-50. Boldly impressed with abundant mint lustre throughout. All devices are clear; moderate golden toning. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $3,300.00.
1799 [BB-166] B-9a. Rarity-2. VF-25. Light silvery surfaces enhanced by golden highlights. $495.00.
1799 [BB-167] B-14. Rarity-3. F-12. Cleaned and retoned to a dark gray, perhaps to hide some minor buffing as the fields don't look quite right. A single rim bump below bust. $374.00.
1799 [BB-168] B-22a. Rarity-3. VG-10. This coin should grade higher, because of the complete failure of the reverse die, the obverse always is found poorly struck, normally a full grade below the reverse. Gunmetal-gray fields offset the lighter devices. The reverse die exhibits sharp horizontal die break. $330.00.
1799 [BB-169] B-21. Rarity-3. AU-53 (PCGS). Dark irregular toning, especially on the reverse. Hints of lustre remain in the fields. Well struck on the periphery, although the central reverse is a touch weak on the right wing of the eagle. Struck from cracked dies, the obverse crack through the date is visible to the naked eye. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $2,860.00.
1799 [BB-169] B-21. Rarity-4. EF-40. Sharply struck, per-fectly centered and without a flaw. Medium steel iridescence with hints of lustre in the fields. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $1,155.00.
1799 [BB-169] B-21. Rarity-4. F-15. Surfaces have been harshly cleaned leaving myriad cleaning lines and full, flat relief. Beginning to retone a warm russet color on both sides. $220.00.
1799 [BB-169] B-21. Rarity-4. VG-7. Cleaned and retoned with dull gray surfaces. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $165.00.
1800 [BB-181] B-1. Rarity-4. F-12. Gently cleaned with resulting faint lines, but no other problems to evidence this coin's rather extended stay in circulation. A scarce die pairing. Original gray color. $374.00.
1800 [BB-182] B-2. Rarity-5. VF-30. Somber gray toning with hints of original mint frost peering out from the fields. Bolender found but a single example of this die pairing, now, a few more have turned up reducing this to a Rarity-5 rating. Some minor rim marks, one on the obverse and few tiny ones on the reverse are the only evidence of circulation aside from wear. An interesting combination, the obverse die has a sharply double cut R in LIBERTY and the reverse has a similar double cut first T in STATES. $880.00.
1800 [BB-183] B-3. Rarity-5. VF-25. Iridescent gray toning atop clean surfaces. One of the rarest varieties of the year. A single tiny mark at the outer point of star nine on the obverse and another on the right side of the M of AMERICA should serve as hallmarks for this particular example. $440.00.
1800 [BB-184] B-12. Rarity-3. VF-20. Steel gray iridescence with deeper gray about the periphery. Broad fat dentils serve to frame the obverse and protect the devices from wear. A tiny mark below the base of the T in UNITED identifies this coin. $440.00.
1800 [BB-185] B-20. Rarity-7. VF-25. Even gray but cleaned long ago with faint hairlines in the fields. A small planchet defect is visible between the 3rd and 4th stars on the obverse and corresponding area of the reverse, only affecting the dentils. Weakly struck on Liberty's neck and surrounding curls, probably from buckling of the die. $2,420.00.
1800 [BB-186] B-4. Rarity-4. VF-20. Mottled toning on the obverse, more even steel on the reverse. Close examination finds some minor cleaning lines, but these have begun to tone over. A rim bruise below the date and some minor adjustment marks on the right wing of the eagle and lower right cloud are the only detractions. $418.00.
1800 [BB-187] B-16b; Rarity-3. AU-50 (PCGS). Smoky gold toning on the obverse and reverse. A bit weakly struck, perhaps due to die cracks as much as anything. Lustre peeks up from beneath the toning and provides a touch of originality. Some faint rim marks above LIBERTY on the obverse. Not part of the Willasch Collection. $2,530.00.