Q. David Bowers
Enabling legislation: Act of April 2, 1792
Flowing Hair type: Designer: Robert Scot
Draped Bust type: Designer: Robert Scot (after Stuart), model by John Eckstein
Statutory weight: 416 grains; .8924 silver, balance copper; actual fineness used (unauthorized by Congress): .900 silver, .100 copper; this applied to all 1795 dollars actually minted in 1795, not to any with the 1795 date but minted later; the change back to the legal standard did not occur until Elias Boudinot became director, which took place after the final delivery of silver dollars for the 1795 calendar year.
Melting value (silver bullion value) in year minted: Considered by Mint officials to be on a par with the Spanish dollar, and worth about $1.00 intrinsically (see discussion under Summary of Characteristics, 1794).
Dies prepared (Flowing Hair obverse, Eagle on Rock reverse): At least 9 obverses and 10 reverses.
Dies prepared (Draped Bust obverse, Small Eagle reverse): At least 2 obverses and 2 reverses for the Draped Bust coinage.
Business strike mintage (combined for all 1795 dollars, Flowing Hair and Draped Bust types), calendar year: 203,033 (not including pieces reserved for the Assay Commission; these are additional and are given in parentheses); Delivery figures by day: May 6: 3,810; (May 6, 1795 date from Mint records preserved in the National Archives. A receipt dated May 4, 1795, from David Rittenhouse (receipt in author's possession, 1992) states that on May 4th there were "Delivered to the Treasurer of the Mint 46,000 half dollars and 3,810 dollars of the coinage of the United States.") May 16: 15,268 (+3 for Assay Commission); June 5: 10,917 (+3); June 5 (same day): 10,430 (+2); June 17: 10,000 (+3); June 20: 5,986 (+3); June 26: 6,000 (+3); June 29: 4,000 (+3); July 2: 5,243 (+3); July 9: 5,000 (+3); July 13: 7,000 (+3); July 17: 4,500 (+3); July 21: 6,000 (+3); July 23: 4,876 (+3); July 30: 1,184 (+3); August 10: 3,500 (+3); August 22: 4,385 (+3); August 29: 6,500 (+3); August 31: 1,106 (+3); September 1: 830 (+3); September 12: 4,260 (+3); September 24: 4,000 (+3); October 3: 15,000 (+3); October 7: 6,000 (+3); October 10: 14,500 (+3); October 17: 23,368 (+3); October 24: 19,370 (+3).
Estimated business strike mintage of 1795 Flowing Hair type (Breen estimates): 160,295 (on the assumption that all deliveries through and including October 10th were of the Flowing Hair type). Walter H. Breen uses the calendar year total as provided by the government as his basis.
Estimated business strike mintage of 1795 Draped Bust type (Breen estimates): 42,738 (on the assumption that the last two deliveries of the year, October 17th and 24th, were of the Draped Bust type). Based upon government figures.
Business strike mintage of 1795-dated dollars (total of Flowing Hair and Draped Bust types) regardless of calendar year of mintage (author's estimate): 390,000 (rounded).
Estimated business strike mintage of 1795 Flowing Hair type (author's estimate): 391,521 x 71% = 280,000 (rounded).
Estimated business strike mintage of 1795 Draped Bust type (author's estimate): 391,521 x 29% = 110,000 (rounded).
Estimated quantity melted: None at any specific time; quantities were exported.
FLOWING HAIR DOLLARS (all die varieties combined)
Approximate population MS-65 or better: 3 to 5 (URS-3)
Approximate population MS-64: 9 to 15 (URS-5)
Approximate population MS-63: 30 to 50 (URS-6)
Approximate population MS-60 to 62: 65 to 110 URS-8)
Approximate population AU-50 to 58: 235 to 400 (URS-9)
Approximate population VF-20 to EF-45: 3,300 to 5,000 (URS-13)
Approximate population G-4 to F-15: 2,400 to 3,750 (URS-13)
Approximate population for all grades combined: 6,000 to 9,500 (URS-14)
• CONDITION CENSUS: 65-65-65-64 (multiples)
• AVERAGE AUCTION APPEARANCE GRADE for all varieties combined: VF-24.