United States: 1799 silver Draped Bust dollar

United States: 1799 silver Draped Bust dollar

NGC VF30. Cert. #1886300-001.

Numista-23359, Krause-Mishler-32, Bowers-Borckardt-162.

Mintage: 423,515.

Ex-Stacks Bowers Galleries Spring 2023 Auction, Lot 6582, 23 March 2023. Purchased in the slab.

The Stacks Bowers auction lot description:

"A boldly toned example with underlying cobalt blue and reddish-gold to dominant charcoal-gray. The in hand appearance is uncommonly smooth for the assigned grade, if a tad glossy in texture. One of perhaps just 300 to 500 survivors from this die pairing (per Bowers, 2013), and a desirable coin for a circulated type set. BB Die State III-IV (intermediate die state)."

This lovely early United States dollar is of the Heraldic Eagle reverse type struck from 1798 to 1804. Coins of this type dated 1804 are one of the most famous US rarities, though the ones bearing that date were actually restrikes struck decades later.

For my Draped Bust dollar type coin, I wanted a date from the 1700s. I was also after a coin with exactly this sort of "Circulation Cameo" toning. I paid a lofty premium for this piece- way beyond published price guide values- but I had to, in order to beat the competition for it in the auction. I'm seldom so cavalier about "overpaying" for a coin, and I'm likely "underwater" in this one for a long time to come, but I suppose that doesn't matter so much. I'm glad to have it, and it is my favorite US coin in my collection.



386750

 

True.

True again. I intend to hold this one for the long term; maybe even (who knows?) for the rest of my days. Maybe my estate will lose money on the investment, but I won't be around to care about that.

The current NGC priceguide value is “only” $2,550.00 as I type this (January 2026).

If you looked at the Stacks Bowers archive link, you'll see I paid $3,867.50 for it after fees, in March of 2023. That's a premium of more than $1,300.00 over the NGC value! (And 1300 bucks is a LOT of money for me!)

But I now note that the current PCGS value is $4,250.00 in VF30, so maybe I'm not that far "underwater" after all!

 

For $3,867.50, it had better be, right?

Thanks.

 

Ha. Nope, not in this lifetime. BUT I have added a lot of fun stuff to my giveaway goodies list lately, and there’s always one or more giveaways running on the Contests forum.

(Several, in fact, as of this typing.)

 

I saw it! And was a little jealous on the “holey” front, because a Draped Bust dollar is one type I’ve never had in my holed coin collection. (The one above is only the second one I’ve ever owned. The previous one was an 1800 ANACS VG8.)

 

Indeed it did, as evidenced by my abandoning all caution and throwing what I considered to be "moon money" at it.