Q. David Bowers
• Late style arrows: The four highest arrows on the right have their arrowhead tips arranged in a gentle arc sloping downward to the right. These arrowheads are close together. The three leftmost arrows are progressively shorter, with the very leftmost arrow being significantly shorter that the two to its immediate right. 1798 dollars with late style arrows include these:
1798 BB-103 to BB-106, BB-109 to BB-115, BB-116 (with some characteristics of early style arrows), BB-117 to BB-120, BB-122, BB-123, and BB-124.
Sequences: Among 1798-dated Draped Bust obverse, Heraldic Eagle reverse silver dollars, there are two sequences that can be followed. The first is of the time of die manufacture, and the second is of the time of die use. Each follows a different progression.
In general, it seems that the Knob 9 obverse dies were made first, as the Knob 9 numeral is found on 1797 dies (the year before). In contrast, the Pointed 9 obverses follow the style of 1799 and later years. Among Pointed 9 obverses, those with the numerals closer together may have been made earlier.
Among the Heraldic Eagle reverses, the two dies with large letters were probably made first, as the punches are from the 1796-1797 Large Letters font; Those with arc star patterns were made earliest (and incorporate the Large Letters font in two dies ) and also latest. The line star-pattern reverses were made sometime in-between.
A problem arises in that when 1798 'silver dollars were struck, the use of the dies was not in the order in which the dies were made. As an example, the Large Letters reverse used to coin 1798 BB-94 and BB-95, both from early Knob 9 obverses, was also combined with a later Pointed 9 obverse to coin 1798 BB-102. Similarly, the other Large Letters re" verse was used to coin 1798 BB" 121, which employs a later Pointed 9 obverse.
Using the obverses as starting points, and employing die linkage, the following "striking periods" are observed:
STRIKING PERIOD 1.
1798 BB-81. Small Eagle, Small Letters reverse die of 1795.
STRIKING PERIOD 2,
1798 BB-82. Knob 9 obverse. Small Eagle, Large Letters reverse die of 1797. This striking marked the end of the era of the Small Eagle reverse, which had begun in late 1795.
1798 BB-91. Knob 9 obverse. Heraldic Eagle reverse type (as are all following). Large Letters on reverse.
1798 BB-92. Knob 9 obverse. Large Letters on reverse.
1798 BB-93. Knob 9 obverse. Small Letters on reverse.
1798 BB-94. Knob 9 obverse. Small Letters on reverse.
1798 BB-95. Knob 9 obverse. Small Letters on reverse.
1798 BB-96. Knob 9 obverse. Large Letters on reverse. This striking probably marked the end of the use of dies with Knob 9.
1798 BB-101. Pointed 9 obverse. Large Letters on reverse. Probably, the first use of the Pointed 9 obverse.
STRIKING PERIOD 3.
Striking time indeterminate, but after Striking Period 2. This striking period could have been at any later time; it is not necessarily contiguous to Striking Period 2;
1798 BB-102. Pointed 9 obverse (as are all following).
Small Letters on reverse (as are all following). To coin BB-102; the reverse die used to coin BB-94 and then BB-95 (after which it was removed from the press) was put back in the press and combined with a hitherto unused obverse.
1798 BB-103.
1798 BB-104.
1798 BB-105.
1798 BB-106.
STRIKING PERIOD 4.
Striking time indeterminate, but after Striking Period 2.
This striking period could have been at any later time; it is' not necessarily contiguous to Striking Period 2.
1798 BB-107. To coin BB-107, the obverse die used to coin BB-102 and then BB-103 (after which it was removed from the press) was ,Put back in the press and combined with a hitherto unused reverse.
1798 BB-108.
1798 BB-109. Dies were removed from the press, and then used again (see next striking period, which may not have been contiguous). Perhaps the press had to be used for other purposes in the interim.
STRIKING PERIOD 5.
1798 BB-108. Additional coinage from this die pair.
STRIKING PERIOD 6.
This large interrelated group was struck at an unknown
time after Striking Period 2.
1798 BB-110.
1798 BB-111.
1798 BB-112.
1798 BB-113.
1798 BB-114.
1798 BB-115.
1798 BB-116.
1798 BB-117.
1798 BB-118.
1798 BB-119.
1798 BB-120.
STRIKING PERIOD 7.
A stand-alone striking, not die linked to any other. 1798 BB-120.
STRIKING PERIOD 8.
A stand-alone striking, not die linked to any other. 1798 BB-121.
STRIKING PERIOD 9.
A stand-alone striking, not die linked to any other. 1798 BB-122.
STRIKING PERIOD 10.
Striking time unknown, but these varieties are candidates for having been struck in 1799 or 1800.
1798 BB-123.
1798 BB-124.
1799 BB-182, which was used in a separate series of inter-related 1799 dollars, not continuously punch-linked to the 1798 group.
STRIKING PERIOD II. A stand-alone striking, not die linked to any other. 1798 BB-125.