1795 Draped Bust Silver Dollar. BB-52, B-15. Rarity-2. Centered Bust. AU-55 (PCGS). A lively, exceptionally lustrous example of both the type and die pairing, this endearing early dollar makes a lovely impression in all regards. Traces of a semi-prooflike finish remain, the surfaces particularly reflective when viewed with the aid of direct lighting. The strike is well centered with most design elements sharply to fully rendered. Their are neither adjustment marks nor post-production blemishes to distract the eye. Lightly toned overall in attractive pearl-gray. BB Die State III. This is a rare die state for the variety, of which Q. David Bowers (2013) reports, "I have seen just one coin."</p><p>Henry William DeSaussure had as part of his goals upon becoming mint director in June of 1795 to improve the appearance of the nations coins, especially the silver denominations. DeSaussure contracted with portrait artist Gilbert Stuart to prepare a depiction of Liberty which was then transferred into plaster models and punches by John Eckstein for Robert Scot, as well as a set of improved versions of the Small Eagle reverse punches. While only a short-lived type lasting all of four years, the resulting Draped Bust, Small Eagle silver dollar is often heralded as a masterpiece from the early United States Mint. The Stuart/Eckstein Draped Bust was used for the rest of the series until coinage of silver dollars was suspended sometime in 1804.</p><p>Two 1795-dated obverse dies were paired with the Small Eagle reverse, the first of which placed Libertys bust too far to the left. To correct this imbalance, the second die centers the bust with Libertys topmost hair curl is directly under the E in LIBERTY. The latter variety is BB-52, offered here, and it is of similar overall rarity to its BB-51 counterpart.</p> PCGS# 6858. NGC ID: 24X2.
