Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States - A Complete Encyclopedia
Q. David Bowers
1798 Knob 9; Heraldic Eagle. BB-95.
Arc star pattern on reverse.
(B-7. H-7.)
• OBVERSE 4: Knob 9. 13 stars. Point of 1 touches curl. The 8 is high and very nearly touches bust. Squared-off bottom to 7 (seen only on BB-81 through BB-96; used with the Knob 9). Upper right star is slightly closer to Y than upper left star is to L. Die flaw about like a comma after date. The stars on the right are thinner than those on the left. On the left, stars 1-2 and 3-4 are closer than any others. On the right, stars 10 and 11 are closer together than any others. BB-95 is usually (always?) lightly struck at LIBERTY.
Obverse die used to strike 1798 BB-95 (early state only) and BB-96 (early state and late state).
• REVERSE E: See description under 1798 BB-94.
Reverse die used to strike 1798 BB-94 (earliest state), BB-95 (intermediate state), and BB-102 (final state).
• DIE STATES:
Die State I: Perfect obverse die. Perfect reverse die. The usual state seen.
Die State II: Perfect obverse die. Reverse die with die crack from wing to I of AMERICA to border. Faint clash mark from bust is through OF.
Die State III: Obverse with crack as in BB-96. May not exist with BB-95.
• AUCTION POPULATION SURVEY: Good: 1, Very Good: 3, Fine: 6, Very Fine: 9, Extremely Fine: 2, About Uncirculated: 2. Total: 23. (Average grade: VF-20)
• COLLECTING NOTES: 1798 BB-95 is one of the scarcer varieties of the year. Probably, about 100 to 150 survive-a far cry from the situation in 1950, when M.H. Bolender wrote the following: "This combination is extremely rare, and I have found but two specimens. Rarity 6."
• NOTABLE SPECIMENS:
Auction '87 Specimen. AU-50 .• Stack's, 1987: 778. "AU, superb light iridescent toning. The entire portion softly struck due to reuse of the die."
Walter Specimen. AU-50 .• J.C. Morgenthau & Co. Sale, June, 1942: 140, Uncirculated .• Major Alfred Walter .• New Netherlands 60thSale, 1968: 547, "AU. A magnificently lustrous coin that displays much mint frost in combination with iridescent pale sky blue and gold tone. Unevenly struck up. Hints of what would ordinarily be called cabinet friction on either side."
Chalkley Specimen.EF-40 (NGC). • Superior, 1990: 2849. "A touch of weakness in the central shield lines, the balance being well struck."
H.W. Blevins Specimen, VF-35 •• Superior, 1988: 4761.
"Almost EF-40. Quite sharply struck, with the centers showing extremely good definition. The obverse and reverse both are toned to a rich natural smoky gray color with gold undertones. The surfaces are quite clean with a minimal number of" abrasions; we note a few adjustment marks at the central obverse which are mostly hidden by the toning."
June Sale Specimen. VF-30 .• Stack's, 1986: 210. "A strong VF, excellent surfaces, pale golden gray toning."
Long Beach Exposition Sale Specimen. VF-30. • Heritage, 1988: 960. "Medium gray, tinges of gold surrounding outer devices. Heavy adjustment marks across the obverse."
NASC Convention Sale Specimen. VF-30/25 .• Kagin's, 1981: 550. "Nice sharp obverse with typical dished reverse (eagle's neck and part of motto not fully struck up) With outer portions quite sharp and small portion of center less sharp."
• 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: 2 to 4 (URS-2)
Approximate population VF-20 to EF-45:5b to 85 (URS-7)
Approximate population G-4 to F-15: 45 to 65 (URS-7)
Approximate population for all grades combined: 100 to 150 (URS-8)
• CONDITION CENSUS: 50-50-40-40-40-35 (multiples)