Diagnostic Controls & Presets Early Republic Silver Dollar Variety Matrix
Diagnostic Forensic Readings
Forensic Attribution Diagnostic
Real-time metallurgical and die variety cross-examination verified against certified populations.
Technical Breakdown: Physics, Metallurgy & Die Diagnostics
Deficiency Compensation: ΔW ≈ 10 to 30 grains pure silver
When an annealed planchet was weighed and found light, mint workmen drilled a tapered central hole and inserted a small plug of pure silver, then struck the coin under a screw press to fuse the plug permanently.
Ornaments: Alternating stars and circles
Before striking the obverse and reverse motifs, planchets were rolled between parallel steel bars on a Castaing machine to impress the anti-clipping edge lettering into the perimeter rim.
Attributed Die Pairs: 11 Obverses, 11 Reverses (BB-11 to BB-52)
Varieties are fundamentally segregated between Two Leaves (earlier reverse dies) and Three Leaves (later reverse dies), with die cracks frequently migrating through the stars and date numerals.
Documented Benchmark Auction Records
Ex-Brent D. Pogue Collection. Stunning satin cartwheel bloom with vivid ice-blue and golden toning across pristine fields.
Exceptional specimen featuring a distinct 8mm circular silver plug perfectly centered on the small eagle's breast.
Choice uncirculated slider with razor-sharp hair ribbons and two well-separated laurel leaves beneath both eagle wings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the 'Two Leaves' and 'Three Leaves' 1795 Flowing Hair Dollar?
On the reverse of the 1795 Flowing Hair dollar, a laurel wreath surrounds the central small eagle perched on a cloud. Underneath each of the eagle's wings, there is a cluster of laurel leaves. On earlier dies (such as BB-21), there are exactly two leaves in each cluster. On later dies (such as BB-27), Chief Engraver Robert Scot engraved three leaves in each cluster.
Why do some 1795 Flowing Hair dollars have a silver plug in the center?
In 1795, the First US Mint lacked rolling mills capable of ensuring perfectly uniform planchet thickness. When a planchet was found to be slightly underweight during inspection, mint workmen drilled a small hole in the center and inserted a plug of pure silver to bring the coin up to the legal weight standard of 416 grains before striking.
Who designed the 1795 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar?
The Flowing Hair dollar was designed and engraved by Robert Scot, the first Chief Engraver of the United States Mint. The design depicts Miss Liberty facing right with her hair flowing backward, surrounded by 15 stars representing the states in the Union at the time.
What is written on the edge of a 1795 Flowing Hair dollar?
The coin does not have reeding. Instead, it features lettered edge text applied by a Castaing machine reading: 'HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT' with decorative stars and bars between the words.
How many 1795 Flowing Hair dollars were minted?
The official mintage of 1795 Flowing Hair dollars is 160,295 pieces. Late in 1795, the Mint transitioned to the Draped Bust portrait designed by Gilbert Stuart, which replaced the Flowing Hair motif.
What are the Bolender (B) and Bowers-Borckardt (BB) variety numbers?
Numismatists use M.H. Bolender's 1950 catalog (B-numbers) and Q. David Bowers & Mark Borckardt's modern comprehensive reference (BB-numbers) to identify the specific die pairs used to strike each 1795 dollar. There are over 20 distinct die combinations cataloged.
How can you tell if a 1795 dollar is authentic?
Key authentication checks include: (1) Exact weight of 26.96 grams (416 grains); (2) Authentic Castaing machine lettered edge without modern machine seam lines; (3) Proper high-point strike characteristics on Liberty's ear and the eagle's breast; (4) Specific gravity testing verifying 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper.