Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States - A Complete Encyclopedia
Q. David Bowers
1800. B-189.
(B-5. H-5.)
• OBVERSE 6: See description under 1800 BB-188.
Obverse die used to strike 1800 BB-188 (earlier use) and BB-189 (later use).
• REVERSE F: A die flaw just to left of lower part of second T in STATES quickly identifies this reverse, the die also used for BB-190. Star enters eagle's mouth, the upper part of beak touching star. All the stars above firmly touch clouds, except the star under cloud 7 which is very close. Leaf points under left side of upright of I. The A touches both 3rd and 4th feathers, AM joined at lower part. Center of A over cloud 3. Tip of arrowhead under left side of right upright of U in UNITED.
Reverse die used to strike 1800 BB-189 (earlier use) and BB-190 (later use).
• DIE STATES:
Die State I: Obverse and reverse without cracks.
Die State II: Obverse with hairline crack through top of LIB. Reverse without cracks.
Die State III: Bolender-189.' Obverse hairline crack now extends from stars 5 through 7, through LIB, and upward past B to rim. On reverse, hairline crack connects tops of ED in UNITED.
• AUCTION POPULATION SURVEY: Less than Good: 1, Very Good: 2, Fine: 8, Very Fine: 24, Extremely Fine: 10. Total: 45. Average grade: VF-22.
• COLLECTING NOTES: About 200 to 350 examples of 1800 BB-189 are estimated to survive, making it one of the rarer varieties of the year. Still, enough specimens exist that the patient specialist will experience no difficulty in acquiring one. While numerous VF and EF coins exist, there is a dividing wall at that point. Why AU and Uncirculated pieces are not known is another of the intriguing mysteries that pervade the early dollar series.
• NOTABLE SPECIMENS:
Washington Specimen. EF-45 .• Pine Tree, Suburban Washington Convention Sale, 1975: 250. "Better than EF, sharpness nearer AU, full breast feathers, gray tone, many trivial bagmarks."
Montgomery Specimen. EF-45 .• Bowers and Ruddy Galleries, Montgomery Collection, 1976: 2002. "Attractive EFAU, with lilac and light magenta toning."
Johnson Specimen. EF-45 .. Bowers and Merena Galleries, Byron F.Johnson Collection, 1989: 573. "EF-45. An attractive, sharp, and pleasingly toned specimen. The obverse and reverse are pale- gray, with faint golden-brown highlights around the peripheries. There is considerable detail visible in the eagle's tail feathers, and even in its breast feathers, which can be seen without the aid of magnification. An attractive and nicely toned specimen."
Aspen Specimen. EF-45. • Bowers and Merena, Dr. Nelson Page Aspen Collection, 1989: 394. "EF-45 to AU-50, deep bluish gray and aureate iridescence. The fields are very reflective for the grade, giving the coin a semiproof like appearance. Breast feathers well defined, and some faint adjustment marks can be seen crossing Miss Liberty's cheek, hair, and forehead. A nick is present in front of Miss Liberty's mouth as illustrated."
Johnson Specimen. EF-40 .. B.G. Johnson, possibly ex Virgil M. Brand .• M.H. Bolender Collection, 1952: 138, "EF, some lustre."
Pine Tree Specimen. EF-40 .. Pine Tree Auction, February 1975, Lot 250. "EF or finer."
Austin Specimen. EF-40 .• Bowers and Ruddy Galleries, Austin Collection, 1974: 40. "Attractive EF grade."
Seller Specimen. EF-40. • Bowers and Ruddy Galleries, Seller Collection, 1980: 3275. "EF-40, toned with reasonably pleasing surfaces."
1982 ANA Specimen. EF-40 .• Steve Ivy, 1982 ANA Convention Sale, 1982: 724. "EF-40, Bolender-5b. Obverse crack from star five to E in LIBERTY (R-6). Untoned. A bit weak on the upper portions of the hair. An area of roughness on the reverse through CA in AMERICA .• Heritage, ANA Convention Sale, 1988: 962. Bolender-5b. EF (40/40). Bright steelgray surfaces which were carefully cleaned years ago. A bit weak on the upper portions of the hair. An area of roughness on the reverse through CA in AMERICA."
Green Specimen. VF-35 .• Col. E.H.R. Green Collection . Bolender Collection .. Lester Merkin, AJ. Ostheimer, 3rd Collection, 1968): 300. "Nearly EF, sharp, lustrous, tiny rim dent; reverse dark streak, in flan before striking"
• POPULATION DISTRIBUTION:
Approximate population MS-65 or better: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population MS-64: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population MS-63: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population MS-60 to 62: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population AU-50 to 58: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population VF-20 to EF-45: 140 to 240 (URS-9)
Approximate population G-4 to F-15: 60 to 110 (URS-7)
Approximate population for all grades combined: 200 to 350 (URS-9)
• CONDITION CENSUS: 45 (multiples)