1798 $1 Small Eagle, 13 Stars AU58+ PCGS. B-1, BB-82, R.3....

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1798 Small Eagle Dollar, AU58+
13 Stars Obverse, B-1, BB-82

1798 $1 Small Eagle, 13 Stars AU58+ PCGS. B-1, BB-82, R.3. Bowers Die State III, with the obverse die lapped, showing weakened details at the topmost hair curl, and only a fragmented outline of the lowest curl near the 1 in the date. All of the die cracks mentioned in the recent second edition of the Bowers reference are present on this example, including a heavy, lumpy die crack through the second T in STATES.

This impressive piece is tied with one other coin as the second finest example that PCGS has certified for the variety. One other AU58 PCGS example (without the Plus designation) appeared in the famous Cardinal Collection sale that American Numismatic Rarities held in June 2005, and reappeared as part of the Dr. Robert Hesselgesser Collection that Goldberg Coins and Collectibles sold in May 2011. That coin has a pedigree dating back to the Baldenhofer Collection that Stack's sold in 1955.

The finest example of the variety may be the Thomas Cleneay coin that Dave Bowers arbitrarily called MS64, although it has not been seen since the Chapman Brothers sold the Cleneay Collection in 1890. The only finer PCGS certified specimen is the MS61 example currently in a private Texas Collection. The Texas coin previously appeared in our 2007 Milwaukee ANA Sale where it was graded AU58 PCGS. The Warren Miller Collection includes an MS60 NGC example that was previously handled by us in our February 1986 sale of the Frank Stirling Collection.

The present specimen, illustrated on the PCGS CoinFacts website, has a bold strike with a trace of rubbing on Liberty's cheek, appearing as a light silver-gray area on otherwise fully original gray, gold, and steel-blue surfaces, the latter appearing just inside the border on each side. A few faint hairlines and some trivial surface marks are noted on the obverse, but the overall quality is exceptional with outstanding eye appeal. Population: 6 in 58 (2 in 58+), 1 finer (6/13).(Registry values: N4719)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 24X5, PCGS# 6867, Greysheet# 7156)

Metal: 89.24% Silver, 10.76% Copper
Weight: 26.96 grams
ASW: 0.85oz
Mintage: 327,536

View Certification Details from PCGS