1799 Silver Dollar - 1799 S$1 NGC VG10 CAC. BB-160. This extremely clean 1799 silver dollar has surfaces that show no abrasion marks except with the aid of high magnification. The devices are light tan and the fields are gun-metal gray, which is darker towards the edge creating an almost cameo effect. There are sufficient folds at the bottom and sides of the drapery for at least a grade higher. Libertys hair is well outlined and shows detail behind her neck and shoulder. Most of the letters of E PLURIBUS UNUM show. The CAC sticker confirms that the coin is a premium quality piece that fully merits the grade assigned.

The BB-160 variety has Star 1 far from Libertys hair curl. On the right side of the obverse, Stars 11, 12, and 13 are closer together than the other stars. The reverse has no berries on the olive branch, which is diagnostic for this reverse die. The point of Star 12 touches the lower part of the eagles beak. A ray from that same star points to the left serif on the left side of the U in PLURIBUS. Star 1, which is under Cloud 1, is much smaller than the other stars. Star 6 has only one point touching Cloud 8. The far right of the A in STATES is over the junction of Clouds 3 and 4. The first A in AMERICA sits on Feather 4. A leaf point in under the left side of the I in AMERICA.

The Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle silver dollar was made from 1798 to 1804. The design shows a draped bust of Liberty in profile facing right. Above is LIBERTY, and below is the date. Seven six-pointed stars are to the left and six are to the right. The portrait on the obverse, 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 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. 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.

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 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. He was responsible for designs of most of Americas first coins.
In its population report, as of May 2013, CAC has confirmed 2 1799 dollars at the VG10 level. They do not differentiate the date by die variety.