LOT #3069 |
Current Bid: $575
1796 $1 Small Date, Large Letters, B-6, BB-64, High R.7 -- Plugged -- PCGS Genuine. Fine Details....
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Description
1796 B-6, BB-64 Dollar, Fine Details
Four Known Examples
One of the Rarest Bust Dollar Varieties
1796 $1 Small Date, Large Letters, B-6, BB-64, High R.7 --
Plugged -- PCGS Genuine. Fine Details. Ex: The Peh Family
Collection. Bowers-Borckardt Die State III. Charcoal gray is mixed
with toffee to make a lovely original patina on this Bust dollar,
combined with some steel-blue at the periphery. A few old nicks
around the bust are the only abrasions of note, useful only for
pedigree purposes. Plugged and repaired near the L in LIBERTY, and
opposite on the reverse, near the left wreath stem.The BB-64 is tied for the rarest die marriage of 1796 and is also one of the rarest die marriages overall in the Bust dollar series. It was unknown in 1950 when M.H. Bolender released his seminal book on the series, and its discovery is unclear. According to W. David Perkins, it was known to Bolender by 1956, as it was listed in his valuation list that year. Breen claimed to have discovered the die marriage alternatively in 1954 or 1957, and Perkins assumes that he was the most likely discoverer before Bolender's 1956 publication.
The reason for this rarity undoubtedly stems from the bisecting reverse die break that causes the right third to sink significantly and display significantly more detail than the rest of the design. The break is present on all known examples, suggesting that it cracked either during hardening or very early in the die's life due to non-parallel die faces that placed disproportionate striking pressure on the right side of the reverse.
Roster of 1796 BB-64 Dollars:
1. XF45. Reported by JRCS #1054 in the 2013 and 2015 JRCS Early Silver Dollar Censuses.
2. XF Details, Damaged NGC. Walter Breen (1954 or 1957); K.P. Austin of Salisbury, Maryland; Jacque and A.J. Ostheimer, 3rd Collection; 1975 ANA Sale (Superior), lot 823; Jules Reiver; Jules Reiver Collection (Heritage, 1/2006), lot 23490; JRCS #1072 (JRCS Census, 12/2007).
3. VF35 PCGS. Possibly M. H. Bolender (1951); Emanuel Taylor Collection; Hollinbeck-Kagin Fixed Price List, ca. 1959, lot 19; Greenwald and Jackson Collections Sale (Bowers and Merena, 9/1995), lot 1249; Mr. 1796 John Whitney Walter Collection (Stack's, 5/1999), lot 1786; Warren Miller Collection; Warren Miller Fixed Price List (W. David Perkins, 2015); F. Hagemeyer PCGS Registry Set.
4. Fine Details - Plugged - PCGS. Found in a large consignment of early dollars in early 2000. Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 6/2000), lot 7737; JRCS #819 (JRCS Census, 1/2001); Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 9/2002), lot 7763; Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 6/2005), lot 6587; The present specimen.
From The Peh Family Collection.
View all of [The Peh Family Collection. ]
Auction Info
2025 October 2 - 5 GACC US Coins Signature® Auction #1386 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
October
2nd
Thursday
12:50 pm CT
Auction Dates
October
2nd-5th
Thursday-Sunday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
17 Days
11h 14m 45s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 6
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This lot is in: 1 -
Signature® Premier Floor Session - PREMIER (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 3001-3238) - 1:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, October 2, 2025.
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