Q. David Bowers
1795 Flowing Hair. BB-26.
1795 Flowing Hair. BB-26.
Obv: Portrait II (Head of '95)
Rev: Eagle II, Wreath II (3 leaves)
(B-12. H-12.)
• OBVERSE 8: Flowing hair in six curls, the lowest curl passing through a point of first star, and continues to right, ending in a sharp point. Second curl from bottom points downward to space between two points of second star. Hair at top is flat and lacks any "wave." Wide date, the 7 and 9 closer than other figures. Letters IB spaced too widely. Letter B leans to right, as do also the T and Y. E in LIBERTY is repunched.
Obverse die used to strike 1795 BB-26 only.
• REVERSE J: See description under BB-25.
Three leaves under each wing of eagle. With four leaves below first S of STATES (late state of die, used to coin Die State III of BB-25, the present BB-26).
Reverse die used to strike 1795 BB-25 (two states; Die State I with three leaves and Die State III with four leaves under first S in STATES; presumably, one of the leaf recesses in the die was clogged, thus preventing one leaf from striking up), BB-26 (later state with four leaves under first S in STATES), and BB-27 (later state with four leaves under first S in STATES).
• DIE STATES:
Die State I: Perfect obverse die. Rare, but the most often seen die state.
Die State II: Bolender's "12a." Vertical break from the bust truncation to the border through the 7. Bolender's specimen was Stickney: 807 (Henry Chapman, 1907), and was the only one known to him. Also see 1975 ANA Convention Sale: 808 and 809 .
Die State III: This state shows the die crack more clearly; crack extends from rim through the center, to Miss Liberty's ear. The centers are weak from die failure on some. Cf. Spies (as "Bolender-12-b"); the cataloguer of Gilhousen (Superior, 1973): 1217, VG-Fine, knew of only one other-the Emanuel Taylor coin. An AU-55 coin examined by the author had ex-cellent center detail on obverse and reverse.
Die State IV: This state, sometimes catalogued as "Bolender-12b" shows a heavy lump between the 7 and the bust while the crack extends up to the ear.
• AUCTION POPULATION SURVEY: Very Good: 5, Fine: 10, Very Fine: 6, Extremely Fine: 3, About Uncirculated: 1. Total: 25.
• COLLECTING NOTES: 1795 BB-26 is believed to exist to the extent of 100 to 150 coins, most of which are in lower grades up to and including VF. Fine grade seems to be about par for this variety, an issue which must have circulated very extensively. The variety is very rare EF and unknown in Mint State. Any specimen which grades EF or higher is Condition Census level.
In his 1881 Type-Table, this was one of the varieties J. W. Haseltine designated as "excessively rare."
• NOTABLE SPECIMENS:
Stirling Specimen. EF-45 •• Heritage's Midwinter ANA Sale, Frank M. Stirling Collection, 1986: 1322 .• Bowers and Merena, 1987: 372 AU-55 .• The Brooks Collection, Bowers and Merena, 1989: 161, "EF-40, surfaces largely brilliant with just a faint nuance of golden brown iridescence; fields smooth and quite reflective; most design details boldly rendered, eagle's breast shows details; some light adjustment marks present on obverse; what appear to be tiny rim bumps between 11:00 and 1:00 on reverse were caused by the edge lettering apparatus, the edge evidently being lettered subsequent to striking; Bolender-12a die state." • H. Roland Willasch Collection, Superior, 1990: 450, Bolender-12a. EF- 40.
Elder Specimen. EF-40 .• Thomas L. Elder Sale, 1924 .• M.H. Bolender Collection, 1952: 14. "EF, mint lustre dose to letters, stars, and wreath."
Blevins Specimen. VF-20 •• H.W. Blevins Collection, Superior, 1988: 3594. "VF-20, medium gray with very pleasing two tone effect on both obverse and reverse, well struck."
Hewitt Specimen. VF-20. • Bowers and Merena, Lee F. Hewitt Collection, 1984: 2284. "VF-20 with some irregularity at extreme left obverse edge, pleasing light gray toning mod-erated to lilac in areas."
Million Dollar Sale Specimen. VF-20. • Million Dollar Sale, Harmer, Rooke, 1969: 1118 • The Long Beach Convention Sale, Kagin's, February, 1987: 1125. "VF-20, pleasing surfaces with light gray peripheral toning."
The New Netherlands 61st Sale Specimen. VF-20 •• June, 1970: 408, VF, partly lustrous, but with much iridescent gray tone; central hair, eagle's breast and dentilations are very soft; one small and two minute reverse rim nicks; other irregularities from edge lettering machine; shows only the most microscopic signs of the "Bolender-12a" die crack.
Rumbel Specimen. F-15 •• 1952 ANA Convention Sale, O.K. Rumbel Collection, New Netherlands: 3100 .• , AJ. Ostheimer, 3rd Collection, Lester Merkin, 1968: 232. "Almost VF, reverse bolder than obverse showing traces of lustre. Claimed to be ex Stickney 807, but that claim is also made for the more worn Bolender, Taylor, Kagin piece."
• POPULATION DISTRIBUTION:
Approximate population MS-65 or better: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population MS-64: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population MS-63: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population MS-60 to 62: 0 (URS-0)
Approximate population AU-50 to 58: 1 or 2 (URS-1)
Approximate population VF-20 to EF-45: 30 to 50 (URS-6)
Approximate population G-4 to F-15: 70 to 100 (URS-8)
Approximate population for all grades combined: 100 to 150 (URS-8)
• CONDITION CENSUS: 55-45-45-40-40-40