Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States - A Complete Encyclopedia
Q. David Bowers
• 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: 1 or 2 (URS-1)
Approximate population VF-20 to EF-45: 120 to 170 (URS-8)
Approximate population G-4 to F-15: 80 to 130 (URS-7)
Approximate population for all grades combined: 200 to 300 (URS-9)
• CONDITION CENSUS: 50-45-45-45-40 (multiples)
1797 Stars 9x7, Large Letters. BB-73
(B-1. H-1.)
• OBVERSE 2: See description under 1797 BB-72. Latest state of the die; struck after BB-72.
Obverse die used to strike 1797 BB-72 (earlier) and BB-73 (later).
• REVERSE C: Large Letters style. 8 berries in left branch. Leaf ends under center of upright of E in STATES. Lowest berry near ribbon bow is on inside of wreath. E of STATES lightly repunched. All of the A's in the legend show a curious defect at their upper left corners. A leaf points to the left corner of the I in UNITED, another leaf points to the left corner of the first T in STATES while another leaf points to the very end of the 0 in OF. Another leaf is positioned away from the R in AMERICA.
Note: Immediately after 1797 BB-73 Die State IV was coined, the reverse die was mated with a 1798 obverse and used to coin specimens of 1798 BB-82, Die State 1. The die cracks advanced slightly during the coinage. When coinage of 1798 BB-82 was completed, the dies were remated with this 1797 obverse, and additional specimens of 1797 BB-73 were struck, with the reverse being in the same state as used to coin 1798 BB-82. It is likely that all specimens of 1797 BB-73 were struck at the Mint in calendar year 1798.
Reverse die used to strike 1797 BB-73 and 1798 BB-82.
DIE STATES:
Die State I: Perfect dies (no cracks or clash marks). Obverse die with pellet-shaped raised die flaw in field below innermost point of star 9, and about 40% of the distance from the star point to the hair. Some die roughness, probably as made, between star 1 and date. Die file marks in front of neck, described under BB-72, are present however not as strong. Most plentiful die state.
Die State II: Obverse die has been lightly relapped, removing most of pellet flaw below star 9. No obverse or reverse cracks yet. A plentiful die state.
Die State III: Bolender-La. OBVERSE: A few delicate traces of arc-like clash marks are in the field before Miss Liberty's face and are so subtle that only high-grade coins show them; these are from the curved palm leaves on the reverse. The die has developed hairline cracks as follows: From denticle upward to outermost point of star 4, continuing through a point of star 5 to ribbon; crack from ribbon downward through hair curl, hair, bottom curl, to border. Minute crack from denticle downward to star 5. Crack from denticle through two bottom points of star 7 to ribbon. From bottom of 97 of date through bust drapery to star 15, minutely continuing through the centers of stars 14 and 13. From denticle toward (but not touching) star 15. Stars on right develop distended points toward the denticles. REVERSE: No cracks.
Die State IV: Bolender-Ib. OBVERSE: As III. REVERSE:
Cracks as follows: Crack in the field from the border above the upper left of D to the border above upper right of first T in STATES. Irregular vertical crack between branch and side of eagle's right (observer's left) wing. Light crack connects denticle with upper part of second T in STATES and continues downward to branch.
Die State V: Bolender-Ic. Dies have clashed again. Now with severe clash marks in field front of Miss Liberty's face, especially from her nose to chin, and under ribbon behind head. Die cracks as IV, plus new cracks: From denticle through bottom of star 2 to hair; from 9th star downward to ribbon. Crack from denticle toward star 15 now touches star 15. REVERSE: Additional cracks as follows: Crack from left base of N in UNITED through leaf tip to connect with separate crack from right base Of I to branch. Crack from center of E through D continuing through S, curving upward to border through T. Crack connecting denticle with upper part of second T in STATES and continuing downward to branch is now much heavier from denticle to top of T. Crack from same T through ES to top most palm leaf. Crack from tops of OF through center of AM.