1797 Silver Dollar - 1797 S$1 9x7 Stars, Large Letters, BB-73, B-1, R-3, PCGS XF40 Secure. This 1797 Silver Dollar Draped Bust, Small Eagle is characterized by original and extremely clean surfaces. The minute abrasion marks that are present can only be seen with the aid of magnification. All of the lines of Libertys drapery show, and her hair is well outlined and detailed. Some original mint luster remains in protected areas. The coin is mainly a light lavender-tan with silver highlights. The strike is variable, as is often the case with coins of this type. Areas that are well struck include the curls on top of Libertys head and the drapery at her bust. Some of the eagles breast feathers show along with more than half of those on the wings. The wreath has full details, and the dentils are strong on both sides. There are no planchet adjustment marks. The Secure designation attests to the coins authenticity and originality.

The BB-73 is identified by the obverse with 16 stars. Nine stars are to the left and seven are to the right. There are heavy die file lines in front of Libertys neck, most of which slant down to the right. This obverse die was also used to strike BB-72. The reverse uses Large Letters. There are 8 berries in the left branch of the wreath. The lowest berry is near the ribbon bow on the inside of the wreath. A leaf ends under the center of the upright of the E in STATES, and a leaf points to the left corner of the I in UNITED. Another points to the left corner of the first T in STATES. All of the As in the legend show a defect in their upper left corner. This reverse die was also used to strike the 1798 BB-82.

The Draped Bust, Small Eagle silver dollar was made from 1795 to 1798. The design shows a draped bust of Liberty in profile facing right with her hair tied with a ribbon. Above is the word LIBERTY, and below is the date with stars on both sides of the periphery. 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. For the first three years of the Draped Bust dollar, the small eagle reverse similar to the prior design was used. It shows a small, unrealistic eagle poised to fly standing on a rock. Around the eagle is a wreath of laurel on the left and palm on the right. A ribbon ties the ends of the wreath together. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA encircles the design.

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 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. 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.