New Bust Dollar! Another long-term want is crossed off the list
I've wanted a bust dollar for at least the past 13 years (which is when I could start to think about how to get one). For a long time they've been out of budget, and plenty just aren't that nice. I've been looking more actively the last few years, and finally found a keeper which, to quote Mark Feld, is a "gem circulated." The obverse is a bit darker in hand with some faint green and blue hues, and the reverse has a golden/olive tinge.
A funny story from the hunt: at a show a few weeks ago, I picked up what I thought might be the winner. A beautiful dollar with superb color and details for the grade. Then I turned it over, and the color was ugly, the surfaces stained, and the price probably 30% or more above what would have been reasonable. Then I remembered that a few months prior I had the same thought about the same coin. A year prior? Yup, same coin.
Comments
Congrats on the newp, looks like a wholesome coin!
Was the coin you passed on still for sale by the same dealer?
Indeed... same coin, same dealer, same disappointment.
I do like the bust dollars. That's a nice one.
VF? Nice coin.
Congrats! Gem circulated indeed.
Crossing things off the list is not overrated.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
WTG!
I've only had one, ever. Mine was an 1800 in an old small ANACS G6 or VG8 or VG10 holder, as I recall. It's been a while.
Wasn't as nice as yours, obviously.
Nice
A fitting term from Mark
I think you will find you made a mistake by selecting that coin. 1799s are not rare and can be found in high circulated grades. Budget or not I suspect you will not be pleased with that coin a few years down the road and will wish you had waited until you could have afforded a better example.
Nice bust dollar.... Some interesting points... Cheers, RickO
Congrats!
I would like to add a bust dollar in my collection as well. 13yrs? I better start looking now.
Joseph J. Singleton - First Superintendent of the U.S. Branch Mint in Dahlonega Georgia
Findley Ridge Collection
About Findley Ridge
Nice coin.
Very nice!
Nice and crusty!
Unlike your patient wait, my example was totally spontaneous. I wasn't even in the market for one, but a dealer who used to set up at our monthly show just got in a nice original 1800 in about the same grade as yours, along with an 1834 $2.50 in XF/AU with traces of pink tone. He quoted a price for the pair that seemed almost too good to be true, so I pulled the trigger w/o even checking. Turns out he had mispriced them, way too low, and he let me know about it the following month, but did not ask for any reimbursement, etc.
As a type collector, there's very little that I buy that's rare or better date. I have a few wheat cents, but couldn't care less about an 09-S VDB. I have mercury dimes but feel no desire to get a 16-D. Indeed, rarely do I buy something where I couldn't, in some way, do better if I just put in some more money. Sometimes I can afford better but prefer not to put as much money into one coin or into coins in general. With that said, nothing prevents me from buying a higher grade example sometime down the road. If I settled and bought a coin I don't actually like (something with low eye appeal) then I'd agree there's no point. But I see nothing wrong with picking up a nice example, especially in a sea of lesser coins. I can enjoy now, and if the bug hits later to upgrade, I can assess my financial situation to determine whether I'd prefer a second example or whether I'd prefer to sell this to help cover the costs.
Nice and wholesome!
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Am I the only one that is distracted by the scratches on the face and neck...?
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
Whatever happened to people saying "nice coin, congrats"?
With that being said, nice coin and congrats! Even though there are 1799 dollars out there, finding one with nice color, good rims, strike, etc is hard. And yours is a very nice example. You will be happy with this one years from now. Congrats again!
There seems to be a "rule" on this forum that buys are always "great". They are not. The forum needs more candor in its comments. Take off the rose colored glasses. The 1960's are over.
What makes you think that everyone has to like what you like? It is the collection of @airplanenut , not you. So, get off your high horse. Candor doesn't require being a tool.
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
My sets: [280+ horse coins] :: [France Sowers] :: [Colorful world copper] :: [Beautiful world coins]
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
I like it and the scratches don't bother me at all. Well done.
My YouTube Channel
Very nice coin! Not knowing price, can't say if imo it was a "great buy" or not.
Knowing you though Airplanenut, you got a good deal. Congrats!
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Maybe you're mad your team lost in the playoffs. Don't know why, but the attitude is uncalled for. Don't take your anger out on other members. He bought the coin and you bashing it doesn't help anything one bit. It was not constructive at all and offered no positive areas. Maybe it's time you step away and grab a koolaid or a coffee. Come back when you've calmed down.
Candor is important when discussing the merits -- good or bad -- of a coin. For example, if there was something seriously wrong with the coin, unbeknownst to the buyer, he might be happy with the candor if he still had time to return it for a refund. If everyone just slapped him on the back and said "good job, nice coin," and was afraid to hurt feelings, then theoretically he could get stuck with a bad coin. I think @airplanenut has been in the game long enough to take the good with the bad and draw his own conclusions.
Besides, why post a coin if you aren't ready for a little feedback?
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
Can't see how anyone can be disappointed with getting a wholesome piece of history such as this coin.
Doesn't seem that long ago when I could afford my first DBD and even tough it's a VG 10, it would cost more to buy today.
Nice variety 1799/8!
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
Glad to see your usual acid eye splash replies have returned. Jeez, you make Eeyore appear positively joyful and on happy pills. Most of us are lucky to even be able to get one of these big coins, much less one that is original and in halfway decent condition. Wow, just wow.
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
Thats an awesome coin!
Fan of the Oxford Comma
CCAC Representative of the General Public
2021 Young Numismatist of the Year
Beautiful coin with lots of history. Enjoy!
There are scratches there but when you shoot a coin straight on and then blow the photo up to the size of a pizza, any marks or other items are going to be blown out of proportion as well. I believe that in hand the coin is going to look like a nice original circulated coin.
I am still in the like camp.
PCGS/CAC F12
They're all but invisible in hand. What you're seeing is an effect of the magnification and the lighting, which happens to hit from multiple angles to really bring them out. The other option was to take a shot that wouldn't have shown the color as well and overall would have made the photo a bit softer. In a sense it's an artistic choice in the photography, where I had to choose one route even though no single image could be equivalent to the coin in hand. It just happens that with some coins the differences between in-hand and a single photograph are more or less profound.
Based on price I knew I'd be getting a 1798 or 1799. As it turned out, I got both.
It was an increment higher than most F12's in recent memory, and a few below F15s. I went through about 2 years of every Heritage sale from VG8-VF25 (straight grades only, 1798 and 1799, very few were CAC'd) and recorded prices and comments. There wasn't an F12 in the bunch I would have touched (often the color is just terrible), and I didn't find many of the F15s particularly interesting, either. I figured paying a little more than the "going rate" for a coin of appreciably better quality wasn't a bad choice.
It looks fabulous! This is a terrific example of having the patience to wait for the right coin. After all, these aren't exactly rare, but finding the right one can be tough.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Hope you enjoy it for years to come.
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
It's par for the course with 291fifth. He stopped collecting coins years ago, stamps too, and god knows what else; but never fails to try and point out the mistakes others make in trying to enjoy them. That all said, he is spectacularly wrong in regard to Jeremy's new 1799.
Yep, 1799 is the "easy" bust dollar date. On the other hand, it fits the bill for the magical "US type coin dated 17XX" and much more important to note, it is BETTER IN QUALITY than 99% of all circulated bust dollars extant in terms of ORIGINALITY. No other typically-encountered bust dollar with much more "meat" (details) but the very typical wipes, polish, cleaning and hits is somehow, someway a "better" coin. Very, very few Bust $ pieces would rank with this one or be better in terms of quality, and if they did, the price would undoubtedly match well.
Some just don't get it, but their oversupply of green-tinged venom will never run dry (to go along with the rose-colored glasses idea.)
No. No rule. Just treating people with respect and being classy enough to understand the time and place.
If someone says "Hey! What do YOU THINK about this coin?" Then, to me, all feedback is valid.
If someone says, "Hey! I'm happy. I just got a new coin" then, unless there is something extremely WRONG with the coin that no one seems to have picked up on (and, that could still be done in a PM), then there is no reason to suggest someone made a mistake because of YOUR OWN criteria.
You've been on long enough....do you even know anything about APNut and/or the coins he collects ...how and why?
If not, then you've ignored a lot of his posts before....why not ignore this one?
If you do, then you know he doesn't buy often, and that he generally goes through his own criteria and selection methods before the purchase. He really isn't an impulse buy type of guy.
End of the day, on these forums you are free to post as you did, but as I think you have seen from the comments, your comment was viewed as out of line.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
nice coin, i like
What's not to like about an 18th century overdate?
I am not a fan of the coin (at least as imaged to apple pie size.) Trust though that Jeremy knows what he is doing and is pleased with the piece.
Respectable critiques are fair game and I don't see any that are dismissive or insulting to the buyer.
Many folks with less experience than Airplanenut have learned and benefitted from such constructive criticism. I have.
That's a heck of a lot of coin detail wise for a F12. Nice choice for what you were after. Congrat's!
mark
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
A nice, original coin for type. I collect the same design type in half dollars, and there is an allure to circulated examples that not all collectors appreciate. My set of die varieties ranges from G4 to AU58, and I greatly enjoy both the lower grades and the AU coins.
VF? Nice coin.> @Walkerguy21D said:
How can a coin be "mispriced" if it was sold for more than it was purchased for and there was a quick flip? What the dealer should have said was he should have paid more to the seller.
I can certainly see why you bought that, nice pickup.
I had a 1798 in PCGS VF30 about 5 years ago. It was crusty and dark. Stupid me sells it and I've regretted it ever since.
Yours is a very nice example.
My YouTube Channel
Whoa!! True Americana and I love it

Very well done
You can certainly micro-manage a coin like this and list every possible defect as if it were the grand canyon. Reminds me of an OGH 1795 VG10 half dollar I had about 10 years ago. I felt the coin had Fine detail. It was a fairly wholesome example, but not without considerable minor flaws. I paid a 10-15% premium to VG money. When describing the coin for possible sale, I listed EVERY defect I could find on the coin including dents, digs, scratches, adj. marks, changes in color which implied light wipes/localized cleaning, etc. When the list was done it had around 50 items on it. It was a train wreck.....lol. There was zero chance this could ever sell based on that description alone. The next show I took it to I had numerous dealers inquire about it. Most felt it was very nice for a VG/Fine example....without a single negative comment. It ended up selling to a major national retailer for full Fine15 money. You can make anything seem worse than it is if you only focus on minor flaws.
The OP's coin, does have some faint and old very faint scratches. I'm still waiting to see my first flawless bust dollar. But the overall coin is about as "dirty" and unmolested as one of these gets. I suspect the price would be considerably higher (think next grade up) if it were without marks. 18th century bust dollars these days rarely have old time surfaces like this. If it took 13 yrs to find this one. Figure it would take 25 yrs to find a flawless one. Many of these come with "nasty" adjustment marks. Then what do you do?
I like it - congrats!
Only thing better would be in a Doily.....
Great looking coin, Jeremy. I also buy coins that I like the look of, not those that might be a more perfect specimen. Most of my bust halves have more crust than a 2 week old pair of dirty underwear! To have this member, 291fifth, post what they did, and the follow up comments from the member in question is noise, plain and simple. Collect what you want, not what some d*ck thinks you should strive for.
PS...My 1800 Dotted Date could be your 1799/8's cousin! Again, great looking coin..................
Nice coin for the grade. Congratulations !!
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
It's not possible to sincerely make this comment without knowing what was paid for this coin. It may have been purchased for 42 dollars. Do you still feel it was a mistake ?
Lovely dollar, by the way......
She's a Purdy 1799/8. Amazing how an enlarged pic can make minor insults apparent. I've no doubt she is a joy to behold in hand.