Stunning 1802 B-6, BB-241 Silver Dollar, MS65

1802 $1 Narrow Date, B-6, BB-241, R.1, MS65 NGC. The broken T in LIBERTY, missing its right foot, is an immediately recognizable hallmark of the 1802 Narrow Date dollar. It is a variety that is plentiful in all grades, and ranks among the most available Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle die varieties in Mint State grades. But examples that grade MS65 are hardly common. NGC has only certified five 1802 dollars (of all varieties) in MS65 with none finer. In fact, for the entire Heraldic Eagle reverse design type, NGC has certified just 17 examples in MS65 and two in MS66, and these totals include an unspecified number of resubmissions.
The advanced early dollar specialist will want to examine this piece carefully, especially the reverse. In addition to the usual die crack from the left border to the second wing feather, there is another crack from the bottom edge of the third feather to the ribbon, crossing and disfiguring the P in PLURIBUS. The presence or absence of this crack aids in determining the order that six varieties were struck using this one reverse die. The 1802 over 1 overdates, BB-231 and BB-232, have no evidence of the reverse die crack, so they were the first varieties coined. Next were the 1801 BB-212 dollars. These were apparently followed by the 1803 BB-254 silver dollars that were coined prior to the 1802 BB-241 pieces. Finally, the 1803 BB-255 dollars were struck. The sequence yields the following date sequence: 1802, 1802, 1801, 1803, 1802, and 1803. What we don't know is when each of these coins was actually minted. None were coined in 1801, but they could have been struck in 1802, 1803, or even 1804. It is fascinating to learn that the 1802 Normal Date dollars were actually struck between two 1803 varieties, and that they must have been struck in 1803 or later. This information lends credence to a comment that Dave Bowers made in his Silver Dollar Encyclopedia: "The production of 1801, 1802, and 1803 dollars seems to have been done with the obverse dies mixed, as evident by the primary use of just two reverse dies with a much larger number of obverses."
Bowers introduced the concept of striking periods in his Encyclopedia. The concept is that all coins from a single reverse die were produced at about the same time. Since both common reverse dies were used with obverse dies from all three years, the striking period concept may be invalid. The first use of both common reverse dies was on 1802/1 overdate varieties, so we know that neither 1801 BB-212 or 1801 BB-214 were actually coined in 1801. It follows that the other two 1801 varieties, BB-211 and BB-213, were actually struck in 1801. This is the type of analysis that all collectors should relish. The opportunity to reconstruct the happenings at the first Mint is a particular challenge that all advanced numismatic students enjoy.
This piece is absolutely stunning with its brilliant silver surfaces and frosty mint luster. The strike is amazing with bold central and peripheral details on both sides. While a few microscopic marks are evident with a glass, the surfaces are surprisingly clean. A few subtle wisps of champagne toning are visible on each side.(Registry values: N14284) (#6895)

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