Q. David Bowers
Numismatic Information
The 1799/8 overdate: The overdate, from a common obverse die, occurs in three varieties created through the combination with as many different reverse dies, known as BB-141, BB-142, and BB-143. Specimens are known in all grade levels, including Mint State, but higher grade examples are elusive.
The overdate was created from a previously unused 1798 obverse die.
Unusual dies: The curious 15-star reverse, used on BB-141 and BB-153, represents a die cutting error of the first order. The engraver punched in arc shaped rows of stars, with seven stars in the top row (instead of six), six in the second row (instead of five), and the standard one star to each side of the eagle's head. One can imagine his wonderment when he took a wax impression of the new reverse and found it had 15 bold stars instead of 13. As by this time the die had taken much effort to create, he elected to mask his error by vastly enlarging clouds 1 and 8 to cover the left most and right most stars in the top row of seven. The job was not quite perfect, and today coins struck from this die show remnants of star points beneath the clouds.
Another interesting variety is BB-159, with the obverse stars arranged 8x5, instead of the usual 7x6.
Reverse die differences: Most Heraldic Eagle reverse dies of 1798 have the A in STATES over the junction of clouds 2 and 3, while most reverse dies of 1799 have the A over cloud 3. Exceptions among 1799 dies are those that have the "Reverse of '98" with the A over the junction between clouds 2 and 3: The 15-stars die used to coin 1799 BB-141 and BB-153; the line star-pattern die used to coin BB-152, which was also used to coin 1798 dollars; the die used to coin 1799 BB-162; and the die used to coin 1799 BB-168. It is presumed that these dies were made earlier in the year, closer to 1798, than the others. However, their use seems to have been scattered among other dies.
Striking sequence: 1799/8 and 1799 dollars were produced in several striking periods, two of which contain over a half dozen varieties each, and the others of which comprise one, two, or three varieties. The following striking periods are apparent.
STRIKING PERIOD 1.
The overdates were produced in this period, but were not the first varieties struck.
1799 BB-151 Possibly the first variety struck bearing the 1799 date.
1799 BB-152 Line star-pattern reverse of 1798.
1799 BB-153
1799/8 BB-141 (1799/8 overdate)
1799/8 BB-142 (1799/8 overdate)
1799/8 BB-143 (1799/8 overdate)
1799 BB-154
1799 BB-155
STRIKING PERIOD 2.
1799 BB-156
1799 BB-157 (after striking, obverse removed from press for relapping)
STRIKING PERIOD 3.
1799 BB-158 (1st use)
STRIKING PERIOD 4.
1799 BB-158 (2nd use)
1799 BB-159
1799 BB-158 (3rd use)
1799 BB-160
1799 BB-161 (relapped obverse; last preceding use was with 1799 BB-157)
1799 BB-162
1799 BB-163
1799 BB-164
STRIKING PERIOD 5.
Stand alone die pair not linked with any other. Striking time or sequence not determinable.
1799 BB-165.
STRIKING PERIOD 6.
Stand alone die pair not linked with any other. Striking time or sequence not determinable.
1799 BB-166.
STRIKING PERIODS 7 AND 8
A problem arises with the three remaining coins in the 1799 series, the BB-167, BB-168, and BB-169. There are two possibilities for striking periods. First, here are data concerning each: BB-167: Obverse die in earlier state than on BB-168; reverse in earlier state than on BB-169. BB-168: Obverse in later state than on BB-167; reverse not relevant as it was used only on BB-168. BB-169: Reverse in later state than on BB-167; obverse not relevant as it was used only on BB-169. Thus, BB-167 was struck earlier than BB-168, as the obverse of BB-167 is from an earlier die state. BB-167 was also struck earlier than BB-169, as the reverse of BB-167 is in an earlier die state. Thus, the striking of the three varieties could not have been continuous. There are two possibilities:
POSSIBILITY 1 STRIKING PERIOD 7:
BB-167 was struck first.
BB-168 was struck next, at which time the reverse die used to strike B-167 was taken out of the press, and a new reverse was employed. Both BB-167 and BB-168 use the same obverse.
STRIKING PERIOD 8:
BB-169 was struck next, by placing the reverse die used to coin BB-167 back in the press, and combining it with a new obverse.
POSSIBILITY 2 STRIKING PERIOD 7:
BB-167 was struck first.
BB-169 was struck next, at which time the obverse die used to strike B-167 was taken out of the press, and a new obverse was employed. Both BB-167 and BB-169 use the same reverse.
STRIKING PERIOD 8:
BB-168 was struck next, by placing the obverse die used to coin BB-167 back in the press, and combining it with a new reverse.
1799/8 and 1799 Dollars
(General Information)
Relationship of Far Right Edge of A to Cloud(s) Below:
Far right edge of A over cloud 3: (BB-141), (BB-152), (BB- 153), (BB-154), (BB-156), (BB-162), (BB-163), (BB-166), (BB-168).
Far right edge of A over junction between clouds 3 and 4: (BB-141), (BB-142), (BB-143), (BB-151), (BB-155), (BB-157), (BB-158), (BB-159), (BB-160), (BB-161), (BB-164), (BB-165), (BB-167).
APOCRYPHAL VARlETY: The Boyd Collection ("World's Greatest Collection," Numismatic Gallery, 1945):
Lot 70 coin was described as: "(Haseltine 9a) Not listed by Haseltine. Obverse of No.9 and reverse of No.5." Such a variety is not known today, nor did Bolender, who attended the Boyd sale, list it in his 1950 book. This would be the equivalent of the obverse of BB-166 and the reverse of BB-157 today. Until proven otherwise, the "H-9a" is considered to be a misattribution, not a new variety.