1799/8 Silver Dollar - 1799/8 Early S$1 PCGS XF40. 13 Stars Reverse, BB-143, R-4. This lightly toned early 1799/8 Draped Bust Dollar is the scarcest of the three overdate varieties of 1799. The coins surfaces are original and clean for the grade. They are a mixture of light tan, rose-gray, and silver-grey. While there is light, even wear on the coin, all of the lines in Libertys drapery show distinctly, and her hair is outlined and detailed, in keeping with the grade. The strike is typically uneven with more details including full dentils at the top of the obverse and the bottom of the reverse. Scuff marks in the center of both sides are on the holder not the coin. 

The BB-143 variety is identified by the last 9 punched over an existing 8. This obverse die is the only overdate used for 1799, and was made from a previously unused 1798 obverse die. On the reverse, there are thirteen stars. Star 12 touches the lower part of the eagles beak and enters its mouth. The lowest ray of that star points to the right side of the left upright of the second U in PLURIBUS.

The Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle silver dollar was designed by Robert Scot. 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 of the Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle silver dollar, 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 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-143 dollar has an R4 Rarity rating, which means that 76 to 200 pieces are known in all conditions. In its population report, PCGS has only 2 coins listed as BB-143s that are finer than the present coin. Both of them are in AU55. NGC has 4 in XF40 with 6 finer.