Q. David Bowers
The Photographic Department of Bowers and Merena Galleries had 16 different specimens go through its hands from 1984: to 1992;..-hardly a situation which bespeaks rarity. Over the years, 1795 BB-18 has been readily available at auction, and many more have been shipped from dealers' inventories.
Inasmuch as a Uncirculated specimen of BB-18 appeared in the Lord St. Oswald Collection as part of a group of coins acquired in America in autumn 1795, it is certain that BB-18 was actually struck in 1795.
• NOTABLE SPECIMENS:
Lord St. Oswald Specimen. MS-63. Major Lord St. Oswald Sale, Christie's, 1964: 141. • Spink & Son, Ltd • Lester Merkin, October, 1973: 451. "Irregularly toned prooflike gem, struck from new brilliant polished dies on a brilliantly polished planchet which however does have adjustment marks. Exceptionally sharp impression, many details of curls and feathers visible. Pristine, uncleaned." • Greater New York Numismatic Convention Sale, Jimmy Hayes Collection, (Hayes, a numismatic connoisseur from Louisiana, sold his collection in the 1980s to finance a successful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.) Stack's, 1983: 1220, Brilliant Uncirculated. Illustrated in Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Proof Coins where the author described it as a presentation piece.
Mougey Specimen. MS-63.• Mougey Collection (Thomas L. Elder, September 1910), Choice Unc .• George Clapp .• Louis Eliasberg Collection.
October Sale Specimen. MS-62 (NGC) • Superior, October Sale, 1990: 3714. "Premium Quality. Abundant mint frost graces the central obverse and reverse. All but the eagle's breast feathers are bold."
Bolender Specimen. MS-60 •• Bolender Collection, 1952. • W.G. Baldenhofer • AJ. Ostheimer, 3rd .• Gilhousen Collection, Superior, 1973: 1215, "Prooflike Uncirculated, some-what soft strike, richly toned, light handling marks near lowest curls." • ANA Convention Sale (Superior, 1975): 799 • Davenport Collection, Superior, 1977: 466, MS-60.
The Winsor Specimen. AU-58 •• Winsor Collection, S.H.. and H. Chapman, 1895: 388 .• David S. Wilson Collection, S. H. Chapman, 1907: 366. • T. James Clarke Collection, New Netherlands 48th Sale, 1956: 612. "AU, friction on hair above ear and eagle's breast, feet of eagle and mound not struck up, curious oval planchet defect at centre of obverse, (In a letter to the author dated January 12, 1993, Walter Breen stated that he first noted the silver plug phenomenon "early 1956 on the Windsor-D.s. Wilson-Clarke B-7, but dared not use the word 'plug' or 'plugged' in the description lest it frighten off buyers!) few trifling obverse handling marks, reverse adjustment lines, cleanly struck; Unusually sharp, evenly toned with neatly defined denticles." • AJ. Ostheimer, 3rd Collection, Lester Merkin, 1968: 230. "Really Uncirculated, exceptionally clean surfaces, not fully struck up on curls behind ear or eagle's breast though more than half feathers are visible (and still more would be but for adjustment marks); gray and blue tone, reverse iridescent; obverse slight planchet defects on head, reverse considerably better looking than obverse."
French Specimen. AU-58. Rarcoa, Auction '84: 1702 .• French Family Collection, Stack's, 1989 • James A. Stack, Sr. Collection, Stack's, 1989: 523. "Borderline Uncirculated, prooflike fields, natural blue-gray iridescent color with Just a hint of golden toning, small test (file) mark on reverse rim at 11;00, exhibits just the slightest softness in the centers and is actually very boldly struck for the variety and type."
Frontenac Specimen. AU-58 (PCGS). • Bowers and Merena, 1991: 2202. "Superbly struck with nearly all original mint lustre still remaining, no adjustment marks, rim marks or any other effects of note."
• POPULATION DISTRIBUTION:
Approximate population MS-65 or better: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population MS-64: 1 or 2 (URS-2)
Approximate population MS-63: 3 to 5 (URS-3)
Approximate population MS-60 to 62: 10 to 20 (URS-5)
Approximate population AU-50 to 58: 50 to 80 (URS-7)
Approximate population VF-20 to EF-45: 250 to 400 (URS-10)
Approximate population G-4 to F-15: 200 to 300 (URS-9)
Approximate population for all grades combined: 500 to 800 (URS-11)
• CONDITION CENSUS: 64-63.-63-63-63-60 (multiples)