1795 $1 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar PCGS MS-61 BB-18, 3 Leaves

A superb and splendid example from the collection of a promient Nashville collector. We've traced this coin back to November of 2016, when Heritage last offered this coin during one of their autumn sales as lot 5324. There, they described this breathtaking specimen as "...Bowers Die State I, the usual die state of this variety with two extensions from the end of the left ribbon. Central weakness is minimal on this well-struck 1795 dollar that features exceptional centering with full obverse and reverse borders. The surfaces exhibit myriad minuscule marks that limit the grade. Both sides are brilliant and untoned with semireflective fields around the lustrous devices. Chief Coiner Henry Voigt and his team got this one right, as there are no adjustment marks visible on either side. This highly appealing 1795 Three Leaves dollar will make a nice addition to a type set or specialized collection." It realized $56,400 at that time. Interestingly, two months earlier, in September of 2016, Heritage sold another BB-18 PCGS MS61 coin for $55,903. This same coin is offered on the Collectors Corner platform for $125,000 today.(LINK)

A total of 10 obverse and 11 reverse dies were used to strike 1795 Flowing Hair dollars, with 19 different die varieties known for the date and type. The coin offered here represents the BB-18 variety, the only variety with 14 berries in the wreath on the reverse. The BB-18 also displays the Head of 1794, with a rounded bust tip, and three leaves under each eagle's wing. This was the final use of the obverse die, which was used earlier to strike the BB-16 and BB-17 varieties of this date. The reverse die was later used to strike the BB-19 variety.