Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States - A Complete Encyclopedia

1797 Draped Bust/Small Eagle

Varieties
1797 Stars 10x6, large letters. BB-71

(B-3. H-3.)
• OBVERSE 1: 16 stars, only six at right facing bust. A die dot close to the bottom right of the second digit makes the date read 1797 (some imagination is required); the last 7 is high. The star arrangement of 10 stars to the left and six to the right is unique in the dollar series.

Obverse die used to strike 1797 BB-71 only.

• REVERSE A: Large letters in legend. 8 berries in left branch. Leaf ends under middle of E in STATES. Lowest berry near ribbon bow is on outside of wreath. Large planchet. A leaf is almost below the T in UNITED, a berry is under the center of the first T in STATES, another leaf is past the 0 in OF and another leaf is very close to the R in AMERICA. Three leaves below eagle's right (observer's left) wing.

Reverse die used to strike 1797 BB-71 only.

• DIE STATES:

Die State I: Obverse and reverse die perfect; neither relapped. Obverse shows the highest wave of hair fully impressed in the die, stars perfect. May not exist.

Die State II: Obverse die relapped. Highest wave of hair, under upright of B, is incomplete. Stars appear spidery and imperfect. Stars 9 and 10 have the innermost points shortened. Slightly scarcer than the following.

Die State III: Obverse die relapped as above. Reverse relapped, removing the right edges of several palm leaves on the right side of the branch. The die state usually seen.

Die State IV: Die crack develops on and just below right foot of first A in AMERICA, and on right edge of palm leaf under center of that A. Very rare.

• AUCTION POPULATION SURVEY: Less than Good: 1, Good: 7, Very Good: 21, Fine: 50, Very Fine: 82, Extremely Fine: 40, About Uncirculated: 17, Mint State-60 or better: 19. Total: 237. In my opinion, most of the Uncirculated coins, which primarily date from before 1986 when grading interpretations became stricter, would not merit the Mint State designation today.

• COLLECTING NOTES: 1797 BB-71 is about tied with BB-73 in terms of availability. I estimate that 1,250 to 2,000 are known. If anything, BB-71 is very slightly scarcer than BB-73.

As is the case with dollars of the two other varieties of this year, examples of 1797 BB-71 are usually seen in lower grades. However, several have been called Uncirculated over the years. Undoubtedly, most would not merit the grade by today's stricter interpretations of standards. However, any 1797 dollar that is a candidate for being in this grade is apt to be of the BB-71 variety. In October 1990, Superior sold a coin certified as NGC MS-64, which may be the finest known. Specimens are seen on large or slightly smaller planchets. The large-planchet coins have the obverse denticles especially boldly defined. Those on smaller planchets have narrower rims.

• NOTABLE SPECIMENS:

October Sale Specimen. MS-64 (NGC) .• Superior, October Sale, 1990: 3715. "Outstanding strike, surfaces, lustre and color. All stars are complete around Liberty, while all but the central detail on her rolling curls are as keen as a knife edge. Drapery around her frontal prominence is also nearly completely defined, showing clear separation from shoulder to curve. On the reverse, the wreath is complete throughout, and is so sharply defined. Every feather on the eagle is razor sharp, and shows silvery lustre on top and within."

Newman Specimen, MS-63.• Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Brilliant lustre with pale blue and gold peripheral toning.

Auction '86 Specimen. MS-63.• Rarcoa, Auction '86, 1986: 727. "Well struck Choice Brilliant Uncirculated, with surfaced enhanced by the lightest essence of pale golden toning."

Austin Specimen. MS-63 •• Bowers and Ruddy, 1974: 16.
"Choice Brilliant Uncirculated. A few normal adjustment marks. Simply fantastic." • Kensington Collection, Bowers' and Ruddy, 1975: 1214.

Carnegie Institute Specimen; MS-63 •• Spink's Carnegie Institute Sale, 1982. The London firm of Spink & Son, Ltd. handled the Carnegie Institute (Pittsburgh) coins on the advice of their advisor, Lester Merkin .• Jascha Heifetz Collection, Superior, 1989: 2390. "Irregular toning of midnight blue, gold, and russet about obverse and reverse. The dies were well worn when this coin was struck making the reeding weak in. areas. The eagle's breast feathers are almost complete, thigh feathers are a bit flat. Minor adjustment marks noted about reverse rim."

Baldenhofer Specimen. MS-60+ .• W.G. Baldenh6fer Collection; Farish-Baldenhofer Sale, Stack's. AJ. Ostheimer, Srd Collection .• ' Gilhousen Collection, Superior, 1973: 1227. "Warmly toned Uncirculated, a number of reverse scratches on eagle. Well struck, frosty and beautiful." • ANA Convention Sale, Superior, 1975: 843.; Auction '85, Superior, 1985: 823. MS-60+. (B-3. H-3.)
• OBVERSE 1: 16 stars, only six at right facing bust. A die dot close to the bottom right of the second digit makes the date read 1797 (some imagination is required); the last 7 is high. The star arrangement of 10 stars to the left and six to the right is unique in the dollar series.

Obverse die used to strike 1797 BB-71 only.

• REVERSE A: Large letters in legend. 8 berries in left branch. Leaf ends under middle of E in STATES. Lowest berry near ribbon bow is on outside of wreath. Large planchet. A leaf is almost below the T in UNITED, a berry is under the center of the first T in STATES, another leaf is past the 0 in OF and another leaf is very close to the R in AMERICA. Three leaves below eagle's right (observer's left) wing.

Reverse die used to strike 1797 BB-71 only.

• DIE STATES:

Die State I: Obverse and reverse die perfect; neither relapped. Obverse shows the highest wave of hair fully impressed in the die, stars perfect. May not exist.

Die State II: Obverse die relapped. Highest wave of hair, under upright of B, is incomplete. Stars appear spidery and imperfect. Stars 9 and 10 have the innermost points shortened. Slightly scarcer than the following.

Die State III: Obverse die relapped as above. Reverse relapped, removing the right edges of several palm leaves on the right side of the branch. The die state usually seen.

Die State IV: Die crack develops on and just below right foot of first A in AMERICA, and on right edge of palm leaf under center of that A. Very rare.

• AUCTION POPULATION SURVEY: Less than Good: 1, Good: 7, Very Good: 21, Fine: 50, Very Fine: 82, Extremely Fine: 40, About Uncirculated: 17, Mint State-60 or better: 19. Total: 237. In my opinion, most of the Uncirculated coins, which primarily date from before 1986 when grading interpretations became stricter, would not merit the Mint State designation today.

• COLLECTING NOTES: 1797 BB-71 is about tied with BB-73 in terms of availability. I estimate that 1,250 to 2,000 are known. If anything, BB-71 is very slightly scarcer than BB-73.

As is the case with dollars of the two other varieties of this year, examples of 1797 BB-71 are usually seen in lower grades. However, several have been called Uncirculated over the years. Undoubtedly, most would not merit the grade by today's stricter interpretations of standards. However, any 1797 dollar that is a candidate for being in this grade is apt to be of the BB-71 variety. In October 1990, Superior sold a coin certified as NGC MS-64, which may be the finest known. Specimens are seen on large or slightly smaller planchets. The large-planchet coins have the obverse denticles especially boldly defined. Those on smaller planchets have narrower rims.

• NOTABLE SPECIMENS:

October Sale Specimen. MS-64 (NGC) .• Superior, October Sale, 1990: 3715. "Outstanding strike, surfaces, lustre and color. All stars are complete around Liberty, while all but the central detail on her rolling curls are as keen as a knife edge. Drapery around her frontal prominence is also nearly completely defined, showing clear separation from shoulder to curve. On the reverse, the wreath is complete throughout, and is so sharply defined. Every feather on the eagle is razor sharp, and shows silvery lustre on top and within."

Newman Specimen, MS-63 .• Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Brilliant lustre with pale blue and gold peripheral toning.

Auction '86 Specimen. MS-63 .• Rarcoa, Auction '86, 1986: 727. "Well struck Choice Brilliant Uncirculated, with surfaced enhanced by the lightest essence of pale golden toning."

Austin Specimen. MS-63 •• Bowers and Ruddy, 1974: 16.
"Choice Brilliant Uncirculated. A few normal adjustment marks. Simply fantastic." • Kensington Collection, Bowers' and Ruddy, 1975: 1214.

Carnegie Institute Specimen; MS-63 •• Spink's Carnegie Institute Sale, 1982. The London firm of Spink & Son, Ltd. handled the Carnegie Institute (Pittsburgh) coins on the advice of their advisor, Lester Merkin .• Jascha Heifetz Collection, Superior, 1989: 2390. "Irregular toning of midnight blue, gold, and russet about obverse and reverse. The dies were well worn when this coin was struck making the reeding weak in. areas. The eagle's breast feathers are almost complete, thigh feathers are a bit flat. Minor adjustment marks noted about reverse rim."

Baldenhofer Specimen. MS-60+ .• W.G. Baldenh6fer Collection; Farish-Baldenhofer Sale, Stack's. AJ. Ostheimer, Srd Collection .• ' Gilhousen Collection, Superior, 1973: 1227. "Warmly toned Uncirculated, a number of reverse scratches on eagle. Well struck, frosty and beautiful." • ANA Convention Sale, Superior, 1975: 843.; Auction '85, Superior, 1985: 823. MS-60+. '.'

Cleneay Specimen. MS-60 •• Thomas Cleneay (Chapman brothers, 1890), Uncirculated.

Mills Specimen; MS-60 .• John G. Mills (Chapman brothers, 1904), Uncirculated.

Gable Specimen. MS-60. • William F. Gable (S.H. Chapman, 1914), Uncirculated.

Cleneay Specimen. MS-60 •• Thomas Cleneay (Chapman brothers, 1890), Uncirculated.

Mills Specimen; MS-60.• John G. Mills (Chapman brothers, 1904), Uncirculated.

Gable Specimen. MS-60. • William F. Gable (S.H. Chapman, 1914), Uncirculated.