Bill Jones' Eary Dollars
1795 DRAPED BUST

Owner Comments:

In September 1795 the United States mint introduced to Draped Bust design to its silver coinage on the silver. The new, more attractive obverse silenced critics who had labeled the Flowing Hair motif as undignified.

The small eagle that had first appeared on the 1794 dated half dimes, half dollars and silver dollars was replaced with a fledging eagle emerging into the world. Modern collectors find this design charming and appropriate because it symbolized a new nation making its first appearances on the world stage. Contemporary critics characterized it as a “turkey buzzard” and this rendering of the national bird was replaced starting in 1798.

The coins above illustrate the two varieties that were issued of the 1795 Draped Bust Dollar. The coin on the left is the piece that I have used for the registry. It is the centered bust variety, which was issued second.

The coin on the right was first piece issued and was the coin that introduced the Draped Bust design, which would be used on all of the denominations from the half cent to the silver dollar. The Bust was entered too far to the left which left the coin with an unbalanced look. Subsequent dies were properly centered for all denominations. PCGS graded this coin VF-35.