Biding is now live on Greatcollections.com for a high-grade 1795 Three Leaves silver dollar with exceptional provenance. This coin is graded as MS 64 by PCGS and earned a blue CAC sticker. Interested collectors should note that not only is this coin rated an R.1 rarity, but there are also only nine examples graded higher (by both PCGS and NGC), and this coin has a 123-year provenance. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire such a trophy coin. Bidding on this historically important coin ends Sunday, October 16, 2022, at 6:26:54 PM Pacific Time (9:26 PM Eastern)
At the time of publication, the highest of 72 bids stands at $205,000 USD.
Due to minting practices, production estimates for the 1795 Flowing Hair Dollar range from between 160,295 and 290,000 pieces. Regardless of the large spread of possible mintages, this date is the most commonly available at prices that can be described as reasonable – especially in lower grades. Interestingly, there are a total of 19 known die marriages made from 10 obverse and 11 reverse dies, of which the B-5 (also known as BB-5) is the most common.
This particular coin can be traced back to Lewis Montanye, when it was sold at auction to E.W. Ropes in an 1898 auction. One year later in 1899, Ropes’ second collection (which included this coin) was auctioned by New York Coin & Stamp Co. It later resurfaced in 1942 during the estate sale of John H. Clapp’s collection. It was at this time that Louis E. Eliasberg purchased the entire collection for $100,000 ($1.817 million adjusted for inflation). Eliasberg would hold onto the coin until his death, and it was later sold by his children in 1997. Ten years later it went under the hammer again, where it sold for $303,895 ($303,895 adjusted for inflation).
As a B-5 dollar, this coin has a distinctive raised diagonal line in the left field next to Liberty’s top hair curl. While this type is the most common variety of the 1795 dollar, this coin is of exceptional condition and is usually found in much lower grades. In fact, PCGS has certified only one higher (an MS 66) and NGC has certified eight (all MS 65s). This particular coin is beautifully frosted with a hint of light toning fading from lilac to light gold on both faces. Despite being produced with screw press technology (resulting in a slight weakness on the eagle’s breast feathers), the piece is quite sharp and displays nearly complete details. There are two very slight reverse die cracks making it equivalent to the Third Die State laid out by Q. David Bowers in his Silver Dollar Encyclopedia. The first crack stretches from the border towards the end of the wreath’s left stem and the second from the border towards the second “T” of “STATES”.
Design
On the obverse of the 1795 dollar, a youthful Liberty faces right, head held high with long hair flowing unfettered down the back of her neck. The word LIBERTY is centered at the top inside a denticled rim, with the date centered at the bottom. Eight six-pointed stars are on the left and seven are to the right along the rim between the top and bottom text representing the 13 original American States.
On the reverse, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA runs along the edge of the coin inside the denticled rim. Just inside the legend is an encircling pair of olive branches, crossed and tied at the bottom but slightly separated at the top. In the center, a right-facing eagle with outstretched wings rests on what is either a cloud or a rock. The left wing (viewer’s right) is in front of the olive branch wreath; the right wing is behind it. No denomination or mintmark appears on the coins; all were minted at the Philadelphia Mint.
The edge of the 1795 dollar is reeded.
Bidding for the coin ends on Sunday, October 16, 2022, at 6:26 PM Pacific Time (9:26 PM Eastern).
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