1799 Silver Dollar - 1799 S$1 NGC MS63. BB-161 B-11. Originality and clean surfaces characterize this mint state 1799 Early Silver Dollar. Muted mint luster is seen within the devices of both sides. Although darker towards the edges, the coins obverse is lightly toned. It shows colors of steel-grey, blue, tan, purple, and green. The reverse toning is a bit more uneven with colors of light and dark grey, green, tan, and purple. The surfaces are clean and original with no distractions what so ever making the piece worthy of a grade a point or two higher. The strike is strong on both sides.

The design shows a draped bust of Liberty facing right. Above is the word LIBERTY, and below is the date. Seven six-pointed stars are to the left and six are to the right. The portrait, taken from a drawing by the famous artist Gilbert Stuart, is of Ann Bingham. John Eckstein translated this drawing to models for Engraver Robert Scot. Evidently Eckstein lost many of the nuances, which might explain why Stuarts family would not acknowledge his role in the coinage design. Dentils are near the edge on both sides of the coin. The edge is lettered HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT with ornamentation between the words. The heraldic eagle reverse shows the eagle with up stretched wings and a Union shield on its breast.

A banner inscribed E PLURIBUS UNUM curls across the left wing and under the right. Except for the wing tips, the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc near the periphery. Thirteen stars are above the eagles head under the clouds in an arc pattern. Dentils are near the edge on both sides of the coin. The edge is lettered HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT with ornamentation between the words.

In a colossal design blunder, Robert Scot placed the arrows in the wrong talon. On the left side, the eagles right talon, arrows symbolize aggressive militarism. They should have been placed in the left talon with the olive branch in the right. If this was a deliberate rearrangement, it shows poor political judgment. If it was unintentional, it shows a new, inexperienced country that cant even get its symbolism correct.

In 1799 eleven obverse and seventeen reverse dies were combined to make twenty-three varieties. The present coin is the No Berries reverse designated as Bolender 11.

All 1799 dollars are rare and eagerly sought after by collectors and specialists. In its population report NGC shows 29 pieces for BB-161, B-11 in all grades. In MS63 there is only the present coin with none better.