1799 Silver Dollar - 1799 Early Silver Dollar - 1799 Early $1 PCGS VF20, BB-159. This Draped Bust 1799 Silver Dollar has wonderfully original and clean surfaces for the VF20 grade. It is confirmed by the strong lower drapery lines from Libertys breast cleavage to her hair. The coin is silvery-grey with highlights of lavender and lilac. Darker toning is seen within the lines of the drapery, within the numerals of the date and stars, and in the lines of the shield. The reverse stars are set on a darker toned background; the area above the clouds and to the right is also toned darker than the rest of the piece. For the grade, this is a very pleasant and appealing coin.

The BB-159 is the only Draped Bust dollar with the 8X5 obverse stars arrangement. It is not known why the engraver used this arrangement. It may have been that he accidentally punched an extra star into the left side and then had only five stars remaining. However, it is interesting to note that all of the 1799 eagle dies have the same arrangement of stars as this dollar variety. Maybe it was a design experiment that was subsequently abandoned.

The Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle silver dollar was made from 1798 to 1804. The design shows a draped bust of Liberty in profile facing right. Above is LIBERTY, and below is the date. Eight six-pointed stars are to the left and five 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.

Thomas Jefferson chose Robert Scot to be the first Chief Engraver of the United States Mint on November 23, 1793. During the Revolution, he had been an engraver of paper money. His ability to make dies was limited, and he was advanced in years with failing eyesight. His work was poorer in quality than that done in Europe at the time, and Scot was criticized for it.

In its population report, PCGS shows 7 1799 8x5 dollars in VF20 condition with 53 better.