1799 Silver Dollar - 1799 S$1 7x6 Stars, PCGS AU50. BB-166, B-9, R-1. Outstanding eye-appeal because of the quality of its surfaces and colorful toning characterize this 1799 Silver Dollar. It comes in an OGH (old green holder) with a grade of AU50 from PCGS.  While the grade may be justified based on a bit of wear on the highest points, the piece has the look of a higher grade. The surfaces are original and lovely. For the grade, they are especially clean with few abrasions or other distractions. The strike is strong with good details on the centers of the stars, the high points of Libertys hair, the details of the drapery, the shield, and the clouds. The dentils are strong on both sides. The coin has significant remaining mint luster and is a combination of light lavender and blue-gray, with the latter mainly on the fields. The reverse adds touches of teal to the periphery.

The BB-166 is one of the 7X6 varieties. 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 1799 dollar is the second Draped Bust type called the Heraldic Eagle Reverse. It was made from 1798 to 1804. The design shows a draped bust of Liberty 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, 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 in an arc pattern. 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.

In what some have called colossal design blunder, Robert Scot placed the arrows in the wrong talon. On the left side, the eagles right talon, arrows symbolize aggressive militarism. They should have been placed in the left talon with the olive branch in the right. If this rearrangement was unintentional, it shows a new, inexperienced country that cant even get its symbolism correct. If this was a deliberate rearrangement, it shows a young country taking an aggressive stance during a time of conflict. In 1799 the country was engaged with France in an undeclared naval war. Perhaps this symbolism was being used to make a statement to France and others about the sovereignty of the United States.

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.

In its population report, PCGS shows 9 1799 7X6 Stars in AU50 condition with 38 better. Only 3 BB-l66 have been certified higher than AU50. At NGC there are 2 with 6 better, and these numbers do not account for crossovers or resubmissions.