1798/7 10C 13 Star Reverse MS(PCGS#4469)

The August 2013 Chicago ANA World's Fair of Money

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

4054

等级

XF45

价格

187,320

详细说明

High-Grade 1798/7 JR-2 13 Stars Reverse Dime 1798/7 Draped Bust Dime. JR-2. Rarity-6. 13 Stars on Reverse. EF-45 (PCGS). CAC. A formidable rarity in all grades, this important Guide Book variety is in strong demand from both variety and type collectors. One pair of dies were used to strike these dimes in quite limited numbers. Today perhaps 20 to 30 specimens exist, and high grade examples are seldom offered as most survivors are in much lower grades. Natural lilac-gray and blue iridescent toning is found on both sides with excellent contrast and eye appeal. Boldly clashed above Liberty's chest with one of the stars from the reverse impressed twice in that die, along with the clouds from the reverse die seen above the date. The overdate feature is bold, with a much smaller 8 punch used to cover over the upper part of the existing 7, but the tail of the 7 shows strongly below the 8. For the JR-2 dimes, the strike is always soft at the centers and this is consistent with the Mint State examples known from these dies. This obverse die was used to coin the 1798/7 JR-1 16 star reverse dime as well, with that reverse using an entirely different master hub for the eagle (see below), and has the unusual combination of 13 obverse stars with 16 reverse stars on the same coin. This die pairing was likely a response by mint engraver Robert Scot to move along the engraving work of the prior mint engraver John Smith Gardner. Gardner is credited with designing the Heraldic Eagle reverse master hubs in 1796 where it first appeared on the quarter eagles of that year. Gardner engraved the master hubs used to create dies for the eagle, half eagle, quarter eagle and the single dime die (using the quarter eagle master hub as they were the same diameter) used for the 1798/7 JR-1 16 star reverse. Gardner's master hubs have a few distinctions that set them apart. First off the Gardner hubs have a long neck on the eagle, two rows of tail feathers and three talons of the eagle crossing over the branch or arrows. The stars on the Gardner reverses were done in the "Star Cross" pattern as opposed to the later adopted arc pattern below the clouds. Gardner left the Mint's employment in 1796 but some dies continued to show his hand from the master hubs he engraved for Heraldic Eagle reverses. Robert Scot began to create new master hubs for the reverse dies of various denominations, and these begin to appear as they were engraved. Scot's engraving is notable for an eagle with a shorter neck, three rows of tail feathers, a single talon over each device and the arc pattern for the reverse stars. This 1798/7 JR-2 dime shows part of this transition as Scot has now created a new master hub and now replaced the existing JR-1 reverse die. This JR-2 reverse is the new Scot style as the eagle has a shorter neck, a single talon extends over the arrows and branch, three rows of tail feathers are present. Only the "star cross" pattern remains, and this disappears later in 1798 (save for the blundered 14 star reverse die that appears on 1804 quarter eagles and dimes, an obvious leftover from this transitional time period). Extensive discussion is available on these changes in the Bass-Dannreuther Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties in Appendix A starting on page 534. PCGS# 4469. Provenance: From Heritage's ANA Sale, July 2005, lot 10155 where it was graded AU-50 (NGC). PCGS Population: 1; 5 finer (Mint State-63 finest).