Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States - A Complete Encyclopedia
Q. David Bowers
Collecting Silver Dollars (1880)
In 1880, little information was available to collectors interested in the silver dollar series. Haseltine's Type Table had not yet been published, and no guides were available, except for brief mentions of various dollar types in general books, as Dr. Montroville Wilson Dickeson's American Numismatical Manual, 1859. Thus, this overview by Lancaster (Pennsylvania) dealer Charles Steigerwalt, printed in The Coin journal, September 1880, undoubtedly met with a favorable reception:
"U.S. SILVER DOLLARS.
"Dollars were first issued from the U.S. Mint in October 1794. The obverse contains a head of Liberty with loose tresses falling below the neck. Above this being the word Libertyand underneath the date 1794, with seven stars to right and eight to the left of head. The reverse has an eagle with extended wings standing on a rock, surrounded by a laurel wreath with the legend United States of America. The edge is lettered One Dollar or Unit-Hundred Cents. The number of pieces coined in this year was not large and they have become very rare. Good specimens bringing about 50 dollars. The dies of the dollars and half dollars of this year were not sharp and the impressions are generally weak; good specimens being difficult to obtain.
"The same design was continued in 1795 up to September, when the obverse die was changed forming a new type. The hair on this type is secured by a band with a bow on the back of the head, and falls gracefully in ringlets below the lower part of the bust. The eagle on reverse is also smaller than on the previous type. Neither type is very scarce.
"This last design was continuedin 1796 and 1797. In the latter year three types occur. The first with eight stars to left and seven to right of bust; the second, nine on left and seven to right, and the third with 10 on the left and six on the right. The additional star being added on the two types on account of the admission of Tennessee to the Union. Both years are scarce.
"In 1798, 13 stars make their first appearance on the dollar-seven to the left and six to the right. The reverse was changed this year. The laurel wreath was abandoned; the eagle being much enlarged, bearing on its breast a shield and holding in its beak a scroll inscribed with the motto E Pluribus Unum. In one talon it holds a laurel branch and in the other a bundle of arrows. Over its head are clouds and under them are 13 stars. This type is very common, but a few specimens were also struck in this year with the old reverse. One having 13 and the other 15 stars on obverse. Both are rare, the latter being the rarest.
"In 1799, two types were struck; one with seven stars on the left and six on the right and the other with eight stars on the left and five on the right. The first type is very common but the latter is rare.
"The year 1800 is of the same design as the first type of the previous year; this design being continued on all the old dollars. This date is common but the following year 1801 is rare especially in fine condition as the number struck was not large. The years 1802 and 1803 are somewhat scarce. An overdate 1802 over 1801 occurs.
"The year 1804 brings us to the rarest dollar and the issue of the mint commanding the highest price. Only about six specimens of this date are known to exist. They are but rarely offered for sale and when one of the few known specimens is offered at auction by the breaking up of some prominent collection the competition is very great. The last one sold in this way brought $750.
"The Mint report for 1805 gives a coinage of 321 dollars. All of these pieces were probably remelted or they have completely disappeared.
"A long break now occurs in the line, no dollars being coined till 1836. In that year, Mr. Christian Gobrecht, chief engraver of the Mint at that time, designed a dollar having on the obverse the Goddess of Liberty seated supporting with her right hand a shield inscribed with the word Liberty, and with the left a pole and cap. Below this is the date 1836. The reverse contains an eagle flying, surrounded by 26 stars and the legend United States of America-One Dollar. Only 1,000 of these pieces were struck, and they are scarce and in demand. The name of the engraver was at first placed in the field between the figure and date, but after striking 18 pieces which are very rare, the die was changed and the name was placed on the base of the figure. A few pieces were also struck without stars on the reverse. They are extremely rare; their existence being only recently discovered, and probably not more than two or three having been struck. No dollars were coined in 1837, but in 1838 and 1839 dollars were issued with nearly the same design as the issue of 1836, except that on the obverse 13 stars appear in the upper part of the field and that the reverse contains no stars. Only a very small number were issued in each of these years, and they are consequently very rare.
