1795 Silver Dollar - 1795 Early $1.00 Draped Bust, Small Eagle, BB-52, Centered, PCGS F12. This lightly toned Draped Bust, Small Eagle 1795 silver dollar has lightly toned, even surfaces. The predominant colors are dark and light rose beige with tan mixed in. The surfaces are original and clean, for the grade with no individual abrasion marks worthy of description. All of the lines of drapery on Libertys bust show. The hair from her forehead down past her neck is well outlined and shows significant detail in the uppermost and lower curls; which would be in keeping with a higher grade.

The BB-52 is identified by the bust being well-centered in the die. The highest wave of Libertys hair is under the E in LIBERTY. The lowest curl is close to the 1 in the date, and Star 1 does not touch the curl. The reverse has six berries on the olive branch. A leaf is under the right upright of the A in STATES. Small letters are used on this reverse.

The Draped Bust dollar, designed by Robert Scot, was based on a drawing of Ann Bingham by the famous artist, Gilbert Stuart. Evidently John Eckstein, the engraver, translated the drawing poorly, which might explain why Stuarts family refused to acknowledge his role in the coinage design. The reverse shows a perched eagle with wings spread looking to the right. A wreath tied with a bow encircles the eagle. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc around the eagle. Except for its edge lettering, the coin has no denomination-- something that might appear as a sign of ineptitude on the part of early Mint employees to someone familiar with United States coinage of the 21st century. The omission was intentional, however, since United States coinage was new to the world market of the 18th century and the term Dollar would have been unfamiliar to merchants of the day. Like European coinage of the time, silver and gold pieces were valued by their weight and fineness so the denomination was largely irrelevant.

Scot was born in 1744 in Edinburgh, Scotland or England. (Documentary evidence is lacking as to where he was born.) He was trained as a watchmaker in England and learned engraving afterwards. He moved to the United States in 1777, where he worked as an engraver of plates, bills of exchange, and office scales. During the Revolution, he was an engraver of paper money. In 1780 he was made the State Engraver of Virginia. He moved to Philadelphia the next year. He was appointed Chief Engraver of the United States Mint on November 23, 1793 by David Rittenhouse, Mint Director. Scots ability to make dies was limited, and he was advanced in years with failing eyesight. His work was somewhat less than that done in Europe at the time, and Scot was criticized for its poor quality. He was responsible for designs of most of Americas first coins.