1802 Silver Dollar - 1802 $1 PCGS VF35 CAC. This eye-appealing 1802 Draped Bust silver dollar has extraordinarily clean fields for the grade. The surfaces, which are completely original, show almost no abrasion marks without the aid of magnification. The wear is even with all of the drapery lines showing and much of the hair well outlined and detailed. On the reverse the shield is strong and complete. The light tan and gun-metal gray colors make this a very pleasing piece. The CAC sticker indicates that the coin is of premium quality and fully merits the assigned grade.

The BB-241 is identified by a perfect date with a wide space between 8 and 0. The 2 is distant from the drapery. The T in LIBERTY is missing its right foot. On the reverse, 12 arrows show plainly. The point of the left most arrow is under the left edge of the left serif of N in UNITED.  The eagles upper beak touches the ray of Star 12 off its point. The first A in AMERICA touches Feather 3 and is connected to Feather 4 by a die break. The leaf tip points to the left part of the base of the I in AMERICA.

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.

In its population report, PCGS shows the 2 1802 BB-241 dollars in VF35 condition. At CAC as of February 2013, the 1802 Narrow Date in VF35 also has a confirmed population of 2.