1796 Draped Bust Silver Dollar. BB-66, B-1. Rarity-4. Small Date, Small Letters. AU-58+ (PCGS). CAC. This lovely 1796 BB-66 silver dollar is far and away the finest certified by PCGS of this particular variety. Outstanding gunmetal-blue and lilac toning over lustrous fields, which shows tinges of jewel tones when examined. The surfaces have scattered light marks from circulation, but no rim problems or adjustment marks. Libertys hair has strong separation on the curls, and the eagle sports all but a few of its uppermost breast feathers. Strong visual appeal and a handsome, even elegant, Draped Bust dollar.<p>While not rare overall, the BB-66 is a conditionally challenging variety and becomes elusive in higher grades. In his 2013 reference on the series Q. David Bowers suggests that possibly as few as 200 examples remain in all grades, "most of which are in grades from well-worn to VF, with a very occasional EF and even more frequent AU." While no Mint State coins were known prior to publication, the November 2013 sale of the Newman Collection included an NGC MS-64 that is now firmly positioned as the finest known. Before that discovery, the Hesselgesser specimen offered here was listed at the top of the census. It is the Bowers plate coin for the BB-66 attribution, and realized $64,625 in our August 2012 sale when certified "only" AU-58 by PCGS. Now certified AU-58+ by that firm, and verified by PCGS, the Hesselgesser specimen is solidly ranked as CC#2 for the BB-66 dies. An exciting offering for advanced early dollar variety enthusiasts, and one that is not to be missed. Selections from the Aberg Collection. Ealier ex our (Stacks) September Sale of 1975, lot 298; Heritages sale of the Riverly Collection, August 1998 ANA Signature Sale, lot 8020; private collector; Tangible Asset Galleries; Cardinal Collection; private collector; Ira & Larry Goldbergs sale of the Dr. Robert Hesselgesser Collection of Early Silver Dollars, Part II, September 2011 Pre-Long Beach Auction, lot 5027; our sale of the Werner Family Collection of 1796 Coinage, August 2012 Philadelphia ANA Auction, lot 11172. The plate coin for the BB-66 die pairing in the 2013 edition of Q. David Bowers silver dollar encyclopedia.
