1796 Draped Bust Silver Dollar. BB-61, B-4. Rarity-3. Small Date, Large Letters. AU-53+ (PCGS). A delightfully original and lustrous piece with clouds of satiny texture surrounding the devices on both sides. The surfaces are smooth and without distractions of any sort, toned in a medley of gold, olive, and navy blue shades. According to Mint records, 72,920 silver dollars were struck in calendar year 1796 from six known die pairs. Bowers-Borckardt 61 is the only collectible variety that corresponds to the Small Date, Large Letters <em>Guide Book</em> variety. (The BB-64 Small Date, Large Letters is a formidable rarity; Bowers knew of only three examples as of 2013.)Consequently, while the BB-61 is generally considered the most widely represented of the issue among collectors, the substantial majority of examples are seldom finer than VF, often with significant surface problems. The BB-61 is quite scarce in EF and above with problem-free surfaces, stressing the significance of the present AU-53+ (PCGS) example. From the Naples Bay Collection. From the Naples Bay Collection.
