Growing Draped Bust Collection

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by BryceS, Oct 17, 2019.

  1. Paul M.

    Paul M. Well-Known Member

    That’s one challenging set! Are you working toward a date set, date set with major varieties, or a complete variety set?

    I’ve been browsing similar grade large eagle bust dollars for a future type set addition, and I have to say: your 1797 compares very favorably in terms of eye appeal to what I’ve been seeing on the market. That really says something, because the small eagle dollars are much, much tougher than large eagle dollars. That is a coin I would be proud to own and show off. It looks exactly like what I expect a ~220 year old silver coin to look like.
     
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  3. DBDc80

    DBDc80 Numismatist

    At this point, simply a date set in the vf ranges. Im only needing the '95, '96, '98 small eagle to complete it. It has been a journey finding appealing coins....an expensive one! :blackeye:
     
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  4. BryceS

    BryceS Member

    Wow, that dime is stunning. Thanks for the advice in regards to collecting fewer coins, but at higher grades. At the moment, I'm trying to assemble a type collection of as many early U.S. coins as possible. Once I get more experienced, I'll probably start to upgrade my collection to include coins of higher quality.
     
  5. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    4B489979-4849-4A32-8009-43E01D3A9409.jpeg Here’s my draped bust dime
     
  6. DBDc80

    DBDc80 Numismatist

    Thats a gorgeous coin! Eventually, once i finish the dollars, id like to get into the other early pieces. By type, of course!
     
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  7. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    That is quite nice for the 1807 dime. Only one die pair was used for the entire mintage. The mint pushed those dies beyond their endurance, and it really showed in the late die state pieces.
     
  8. NSP

    NSP Well-Known Member

    That dime has pretty strong reverse rims for an 1807. There are mint state examples that barely have traces of denticles on the reverse. This was a workhorse die, and was used to strike quarter eagles for a couple of years before it was used to strike 165,000 dimes in 1807.
     
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  9. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    @BryceS, you have chosen a challenging, but also very rewarding series. You will have a lot of fun progressing with your collection. Together with Capped Bust Dimes, the early Draped Bust dimes are also my favourite. Pity they are so scarce.... but that is precisely what makes them a challenge.

    I have these in my collection.

    1796 Dime, variety JR-2
    1796 dime jr-2 obv3 N ok pic - 1.jpg 1796 dime jr-2 rev3 N acceptable pic - 1.jpg

    1801 Dime, variety JR-2
    1801 dime obv3 N better - 1.jpg 1801 dime rev3 N better - 1.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2019
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  10. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    I like to collect the coins of the year 1796. However, this is a really challenging year across the board for all coinage types, foremost the 1796 half cent, the 1796 quarter and the half dollar.
    !796 draped bust cents are available but a challenge to find in nice condition. The 'least scarce' varieties are R-3's, otherwise all are R-4's and above. The 1796 dollar can be found. This one is a B-5.

    1796 Draped Bust Dollar B-5 OBV1 n - 1.jpg 1796 Draped Bust Dollar B-5 REV1 n - 1.jpg
     
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  11. ldhair

    ldhair Clean Supporter

    That's some of the best advice a collector can get or receive. Wish I had learned it 50 years ago. I had coin fever back in those days. I had to always be buying something to support my habit.

    Thanks John. I hope others will pick up on the wisdom you offer this site.
     
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  12. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    Yeah I meant to say. They’re really easy to attribute as they’re all JR1. Whoever made that set of dies did a good job. I think my dime is a fairly early strike of them
     
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  13. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    Agreed totally. That makes for two of us. Especially when I got serious collecting again I was buying more on price than quality. I quickly refined my taste though
     
  14. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    Yes, it is an early die state.
     
  15. WFN

    WFN Member

    A good start to a Draped Bust Collection. Learn all that you can, be patient, and above all avoid counterfeits and altered coins. An excellent recent book is Early United States Half Dollars: Volume 1 1794-1807, Tompkins includes US Mint history which can be useful to collectors of any denomination.

    For collectors who like the Draped Bust series, the biography of the engraver is Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty, which contains much archival history on Scot that is not found anywhere else. Scot had historically important engravings through the American Revolution and the years after, prior to his appointment as Engraver of the US Mint.

    The Draped Bust design is one of my favorites, I have collected all silver and copper denominations, and specialize in half dollars by die marriage. I tend to enjoy well circulated coins as much as AU grades:

    1806 over 5.JPG
     
  16. DBDc80

    DBDc80 Numismatist

    Those are stunning halves! However, i think i like the one in the middle the best....wow!
     
  17. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    They are all nice, but I am intrigued by that 1805/4. Are those die breaks on the obverse?
     
  18. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    The draped bust quarters are yet another challenging series. Quite difficult to find nice and undamaged, or cleaned.
     
  19. WFN

    WFN Member

    Yes, the obverse die had huge die breaks and the triangular retained cud. This is the 1805/4 "Wide Date" T-11/O.103b, which is a very rare R-5+ die marriage and R-7 in that die state.

    edit - the original copperplate engraving (1791) in the picture is signed by Robert Scot and is from the first encyclopedia published in the US, which Scot was the primary engraver.
     
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2019
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  20. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    It has a great circam look agreed. All 3 are nice original examples
     
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  21. DBDc80

    DBDc80 Numismatist

    Now that i look closer...it appears that there are large die breaks going from stars 11 to 13 on the far right example. What die state is that one?
     
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