SILVER DOLLAR 1795-1798 Draped Bust, Small Eagle
*Mintage figure of 123,434 does not include a small number of 1798 dollars with the Small Eagle reverse. The 1795 Draped Bust dollar was the first of this design in American coinage. When combined with the small eagle reverse, this coin is the scarcest of early dollars.
In the silver dollar series the obverse motif was continued through pieces dated 1804 (business strikes last made in 1803, however), while the reverse motif was employed through early 1798. The obverse features a portrait of Miss Liberty as just described, with LIBERTY above, the date below, and eight stars to the left and seven to the right. The reverse shows a "small" eagle perched on a cloud within an open wreath. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds.
Specimens exist in all grades, with those most frequently encountered apt to be in Very Good to Fine preservation. Very Fine pieces can be readily located, Extremely Fine coins are scarcer, and those in AU or better preservation are decidedly rare. A strictly Uncirculated coin would be considered a prime rarity. Examples often show parallel mint-caused adjustment marks. As these coins were produced strictly for utilitarian purposes, no attention was paid to striking them carefully.
Valuation
