1799
Set - Choice and Rare 1799 Early Coins Set
1799/8 Large Cent -
1799 Silver Dollar - 1799/8 Silver Dollar - 1799 Eagle Small
Stars Obverse - 1799 Eagle Large Stars Obverse
1799/8 Large Cent
1799/8
Large Cent -
The 1799/8 Large Cent is a Draped Bust type that was minted
from 1796 to 1807. Liberty wears a low-cut top. Her hair
is partially tied up with part falling loose. The 1799 Large
Cent is one of the most famous among early copper collectors.
In the 1800s pioneer American numismatist Joseph Mickley
attempted to locate an example because 1799 was his birth
year. According to Mint records, over 900,000 were produced;
however, the actual mintage was considerably smaller.
Today, approximately 900
cents of this date are known. This number is comprised of
three die varieties, a normal date and two overdates. Almost
always found in lower grades, there are about 700 normal
dates and 200 with a 1799/8 overdate.
The S-188 die variety has
the 1799/8 overdate obverse, which it shares with the prohibitively
rare NC-1. LIBERTY is farther to the left than usual and
evenly spaced except for the letters IB, which are close
to each other. The second 9 is over the 8, and its knob
is connected to the top of the 9. On the reverse of the
S-188, the third outside and inside pairs of leaves have
no stems and are not connected to the wreath.
This variety has an R4 rarity
rating, which means that 76 to 200 examples are known in
all grades. This variety is also seen with a heavy triple
die break on the upper left obverse.
1799 Silver Dollar
1799
Silver Dollar - The 1799 Silver Dollar evolved from
earlier types. First there was the Flowing Hair, Small Eagle
type. Minted for only two years, it was succeeded by the Draped
Bust, Small Eagle type, which retained the reverse design.
Some contemporaries said looked like a cross between a starved
pterodactyl and a hungry vulture.
The Draped Bust design, taken
from a drawing by Gilbert Stuart, changed the look of the
obverse. Some of Libertys hair was now tied with a ribbon.
The portrait is larger with drapery from Libertys bosom to
her shoulder. The reverse wreath changed to laurel and palm,
and the eagle was smaller and heavier. The next step in the
evolution was the replacement of the Small Eagle by the Heraldic
Eagle.
The 1799 issue had a number
of varieties, 28 of which have been identified. The BB-157
is a Normal Date that shows light clash marks at the top of
the numerals between the two nines and to the right. There
are also clash marks under Libertys throat. On the reverse
the U in UNITED is imperfect on its upper left side. The BB-157
has an R-2 rarity rating, which means that 501 to 1,250 exist
in all grades.
1799/8 Silver Dollar
1799/8
Silver Dollar - The 1799/8 silver dollar is the
BB-141 variety. The coin has an overdate obverse combined
with a Fifteen Star reverse. The obverse die was intended
for use in 1798, but it was never used for that year. The
last 9 was punched over the previous 8 causing the overdate.
On the reverse,
the engraver evidently first punched seven stars into the
top row below the clouds. When he realized his mistake,
he enlarged Clouds 1 and 8 to cover the stars at the ends
making it a row of five stars; however, both of the extra
stars protrude from the bottoms of the clouds.
The middle
row of stars was six, which he left alone. With two at the
bottom, he had the correct total number of stars, not counting
those he tried to cover up, in an unusual arrangement. The
BB-141 has an R-2 rarity rating, which means that 501 to
1,250 exist in all grades.
1799 Eagle - Small Stars Obverse
1799
Eagle - Small Stars Obverse. The earliest eagles
were larger and heavier than half dollars. They had one
obverse and two reverses. The coins of 1795 to 1804 had
the so called Turban Head obverse. It shows a large head
of Liberty facing right, her hair in waves down her neck
with one large strand wrapping around her cap, giving it
a turban-like appearance.
The word LIBERTY is at the
top and 13 to 16 stars fill out the rest of the periphery.
The scrawny eagle on the reverse, somewhat reminiscent of
the earliest dollars, is perched on a palm branch holding
a small wreath in its beak. No denomination was used since
gold and silver coins in those times were valued for their
metallic content. In 1797 the heraldic eagle replaced the
scrawny one.
Both reverses were used
in that year, but the new design lasted until 1804 despite
the reversal of the arrows and olive branch in the eagle’s
talons. There were two varieties in 1799, a Small Obverse
Stars and a Large Obverse Stars. The Small Stars punch was
used first and evidently broke while in use.
The Small Stars variety
is rarer than the Large Stars. The BD-8 has a tilted date
with the 7 higher than the 1. On the reverse the point of
Star 12 touches the upper beak as the eagle appears to bite
its tip. The BD-8 has an R5 rarity rating, which means that
45 to 55 are known in all grades.
1799 Eagle - Large
Stars Obverse
1799
Eagle - Large Stars Obverse. The 1799 Large Stars
obverse punch was used through 1801 when it was replaced
with another Large Stars punch. The BD-10, in addition to
Large Stars on the obverse, has distinctive reverse features.
A leaf from the olive branch touches the lower right of
the letter I in AMERICA.
The eagle’s lower
beak touches the point of Star 12, and the upper beak extends
and nearly touches the same star. One of its points touches
the ribbon as well. The reverse die was also used in 1800
and 1801. The BD-10 has an R3 rarity rating, which means
that 300 to 400 are known in all grades.
