1799/8 Silver Dollar - 1799/8 Draped Bust $1.00, 13 Reverse Stars, B-2, BB-143, R4, PCGS AU53. In its population report, PCGS shows 3 1799/8, BB-143, Draped Bust dollars certified at the AU53 grade level with none finer.

This scarce overdate Draped Bust 1799/8 dollar is tied for the finest known at PCGS. The coin has sufficient separation among Libertys hair strands and drapery to confirm the grade. The surfaces are clean for the grade with no outstanding abrasion marks or other distractions that require individual description. The coin is lightly toned with shades of silver, gray, tan, blue, and gold. These colors show its originality. Except for the lower obverse, the dentils are strong on both sides of the piece.

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 dollar, designed by Robert Scot, was based on a drawing of Ann Bingham by the famous artist, Gilbert Stuart. Evidently John Eckstein, the engraver, translated the drawing poorly, which might explain why Stuarts family refused to acknowledge his role in the coinage design. On the reverse, Scot mixed up the arrows and olive branch creating a very martial heraldry, maybe for political reasons. The United States 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 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. 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.

Record keeping in the Mints early years was fairly inaccurate. At the end of the eighteenth century Philadelphia had recovered from the British occupation and Revolutionary War. It was the second largest city in the English-speaking world, but it could do nothing to protect its citizens from the mosquito-borne epidemic of yellow fever. Its wealthy citizens went to the countryside to escape, and the poor grimly waited their fate. Of course these annual epidemics caused havoc with all manufacturing that required continuity, such as a coinage sequence. The Mint shut operations during the late summer and early fall every year. In addition to yellow fever, disorder at the Mint was also caused by chronic bullion shortages and coin dies that would wear out and had to be re-engraved because they were not taken out of production until they failed completely. Often dies were locked up and later taken out of storage without great attention and care. There was also a jealous Chief Engraver, Robert Scot, who was in his seventies and had failing eyesight.