1799 Silver Dollar - 1799 Early S$1 NGC AU50 BB-162. This lightly toned 1799 Silver Dollar shows only a small bit of wear on the high points and extremely clean and original surfaces. Rose-beige and tan predominate, but there are hints of gold, violet, and aqua. Some mint luster remains within the devices. The strike is variable, which is typical for dollar coins of this date. The details of the drapery and lower hair are strong as are the eagles wings, shield, and tail. Except for the lower right obverse, the dentils are strong and full. No planchet adjustment marks or other distractions are found on the coin.

The coin is the BB-162 variety, which is one of the 7X6 obverse stars arrangements. The letters of LIBERTY are close to each other. Star 8 is the closest star, and it is slightly closer to the Y than Star 7 is to the L in LIBERTY. Star 1 is farther from the hair curl than Star 13 is from the bust. The numeral 1 of the date is recut to a straight top. On the reverse, the A in STATES touches the clouds, and the right edge of A is over Cloud 3. The leaf of the olive branch points to the center of the I in AMERICA. The first A touches both Feathers 3 and 4. The letters ME are joined at their bottoms. The point of Star 12 touches the eagles beak, and two points of Star 2 touch clouds.

The Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle type dollar was made from 1798 to 1804. The obverse shows a draped bust of Liberty facing right. Above is the inscription, LIBERTY, and the date is below. 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 made the models poorly, which might explain why Stuarts family refused to acknowledge his role in the coinage design. The eagle with up stretched wings and a Union shield on its breast is called a heraldic eagle. E PLURIBUS UNUM is inscribed on a banner that curls across the left wing and under the right. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc near the periphery interrupted by the wing tips. In an arc pattern are thirteen stars above the eagles head under the clouds. The edge is lettered, and dentils are near the edge on both sides of the coin.

The omission of the denomination was intentional. Except for its edge, the coin has no denomination-- something that might appear as a sign of ineptitude. However, since United States coinage was new to the world market of the 18th century, 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.

Robert Scot designed the coin. 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.

The BB-162 has an R4 rarity rating, which indicates that 76 to 200 are known in all grades. The population reports tend to indicate a greater rarity with only 24 pieces certified by both services. In its population report, NGC shows 2 BB-162 silver dollars in AU50 condition with 4 better.