1796 Silver Dollar - 1796 Early $1 PCGS VF35. B-5, BB-65, Large Date, Small Letters . This lightly circulated, Large Date, Small Letters 1796 Draped Bust Early silver dollar shows even toning with shades of gray, lavender and tan. The surfaces are original, as seen by the colors, and clean for the grade with no notable abrasion marks or other distractions. Traces of original mint luster remain within the devices. The strike is above average with full details on Libertys upper most curls, the bust line, and most of the dentils. Despite the shallow relief of the Small Letters reverse die, the details of the reverse of this coin are surprisingly full for the grade.
 
The BB-65 variety is identified by a Large Date and Small Letters. The Large Date is only slightly larger than earlier punches, but they are similar to those of the following year. The 6 is double punched, and the stars on the right side are very close to each other and nearly touch. The highest wave of Libertys hair is below the upright of the E in LIBERTY. The lower right tip of the R is broken. The reverse uses Small Letters. There are seven large berries in the wreath, and very small one on the left inside the lowest group of leaves. Three leaves are below the eagles right wing in front of the cloud. Several leaves of the wreath touch letters of the legend. There is a large lump on top of the I in AMERICA.

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 skinny eagle perched on a wreath that is tied with a bow and surrounded by the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The denomination is omitted from the design, but the edge is lettered HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT with decorations between the words.

Scot was born in 1744. It is uncertain if he was born in Edinburgh, Scotland or in England. 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 1781 he moved to Philadelphia. He was appointed Chief Engraver of the United States Mint on November 23, 1793 by David Rittenhouse, Mint Director. His salary in 1795 was $1,200 per year. The Mint Director received only $800 dollars per year more. Scots ability to make dies was limited, and in his advanced years he had failing eyesight. His work was somewhat less than that done in Europe at the time, and Scot was criticized for its poor quality. Despite these limitations, he was responsible for designs of most of Americas first coins. These include the Flowing Hair and the Draped Bust motifs used on early silver coins and the Capped Bust gold coins. Scot also designed the 1794-1797 half-cent, the 1800-1808 draped bust half-cent, and the Thomas Jefferson Indian Peace Medal.

The early Mint in Philadelphia had many challenges. Conditions were poor even at times chaotic. Each of the specialists, the designers, engravers, and press operators were men who had previously worked in other fields. Coin manufacturing was a new trade for them. Production was sporadic. For the new Mint to coin each of the mandated denominations, it took four years. This delay was partly because of inexperience and governmental obstacles. Bonds that were unrealistically high were impediments to engravers working with precious metals. Congress was not united on the need for a government mint since private and foreign coinage seemed to work. Because of the non-existent or low production numbers in the early years of the Mint, foreign copper, silver and gold circulated along with American made coins for many years until they were later demonetized.

In its population report, PCGS shows that they have certified 1 1796 BB-65 dollar, the present coin, at the VF35 grade level with 8 finer.