1795 Early $1 (1795 $1) Flowing Hair, 2 Leaves (BB-14, B-4) PCGS VF20. This toned early 1795 Silver Dollar is the two leaves variety. It comes in an OGH, old green holder, from PCGS. The devices on both sides are lighter than the surrounding fields. The obverse shows shades of tan, silver, green, gold, and blue. The reverse is much lighter in the center than the surrounding areas. Shades of dark and light tan, silver, blue, green and purple are seen. The top of Liberty’s hair above the forehead is slightly worn, and the hair on the side of her head shows some detail, in keeping with the grade. The coin is weakly struck in the centers, as is often seen for this date and variety.

Robert Scot’s Flowing Hair dollar was issued was issued from 1794 to 1795. It shows a portrait of Liberty facing right with her hair loosely tied behind her head. Above her head is the word LIBERTY, and the date is below. There are fifteen stars, eight to the left and seven to the right. The reverse of the coin shows a perched eagle with wings spread looking to the right. A wreath tied with a bow encircles the eagle. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc around the eagle. Except for its edge lettering, the coin has no denomination. The edge is lettered HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT with decorative designs in between the words. Like European coinage of the time, silver and gold pieces were valued by their weight and fineness so the denomination was largely irrelevant.

Prior to the issuance of the Flowing Hair Half dollar and dollar, only copper coins were made because neither the Chief Coiner, Henry Voigt, nor the Assayer, Albion Cox, could post the $10,000 bond required to be responsible for gold and silver. Thomas Jefferson recommended to President Washington that this bond requirement be reduced. Washington agreed, and in 1794 Scot was able to produce dies for the cent, the half dollar, and dollar coins. Since there was no standardized hubbing, individual punches were used for numbers, letters, the stars, and leaf punches.