1797 Dollar Coin Error List with Pictures
A double-struck 1797 dollar brought $1,870 at Heritage in August 1995. Its stars, letters, date, and portrait all showed the second blow.
This 1797 Draped Bust Dollar error list covers that striking mistake, extra palm-leaf traces, and small marks left by damaged tools. Estimated whole-coin values for the circulated examples discussed here run from $1,500–$50,000.
Read on to see which marks belong to the original design and which tell a different story.
1. 1797 Draped Bust Dollar Raised Tool Marks and Cracks
A tiny raised dot sits below star nine on early examples of the BB-73 variety. Fine raised lines also appear in front of Liberty’s neck, copied from filing marks in the stamping tool.
Those early marks differ from the cracks that developed later. One crack travels through stars four and five toward the ribbon and hair curls.
Another runs from the final two date digits into the drapery and right-hand stars. Workers polished away much of the small dot before these later cracks appeared, so all features need not occur together.
Estimated Value
For worn through lightly worn examples, estimate $1,500–$30,000 for the complete coin. Readable lines or a clear early dot can attract collectors studying how the tools changed.
A BB-73 graded ANACS VF20, showing moderate wear, sold for $4,921.20 in July 2022. That is a general same-variety comparison, not a confirmed sale of every feature pictured here.
Original surfaces usually matter more than the number of visible crack branches.
How to Identify
Count nine stars on Liberty’s left and seven on her right, then compare the large back lettering with a BB-73 photograph. These checks separate the relevant tool pair from other 1797 dollars.
For the early dot, examine the space between star nine and the hair with a magnifier. Turn the light sideways to reveal the thin raised file lines near the neck.
A later example may instead show the connected star-to-ribbon or date-to-drapery cracks. Follow their paths across open spaces; random scratches will not reproduce the same route.
The illustrated variety description helps separate early and late stages. Raised metal in the stated positions is the key, not simply a scratched-looking surface.
2. 1797 Draped Bust Dollar Palm-Leaf Traces Before Liberty’s Face
A faint curved line in front of Liberty’s face can come from the palm leaves on the other side. The front and back stamping tools struck each other when no silver blank was between them.
That contact left an unwanted impression on the tool, which then marked later coins. Collectors call this a die clash.
The BB-73 description identifies the shallow arc as a transfer from the back palm leaves. It is easier to see on well-preserved coins, while circulation wear or polishing of the tool can make it faint.
Estimated Value
Clash-marked circulated examples have an estimated whole-coin value of $2,000–$35,000. The faint arc alone should not be priced like a large second image from double striking.
The $4,921.20 BB-73 sale noted above offers a condition comparison, without proving that coin carried this arc. Strong detail around the face makes the mark easier to inspect.
A naturally toned surface can be preferable to a cleaned coin, even when cleaning makes a line look brighter.
How to Identify
Lighting matters more here than weighing the coin. Hold the dollar under a single lamp and slowly change its angle until the open area before the face is evenly lit.
Use a magnifier to find a shallow arc, then compare its curve with the palm leaves on the back. A clash copies part of an existing design; a scratch has no reason to match that shape.
Look for wear on the cheek and hair as well. Heavy wear can hide this light mark, so its absence does not establish a different variety.
Check the nine-left, seven-right star arrangement and large lettering before comparing photographs. The leaf-shaped curve beside the face provides the most direct clue.
3. 1797 Draped Bust Dollar Double Striking on Both Faces
Two offset sets of stars or letters can reveal that the coin moved between blows. A second strike then placed the design in a slightly different position.
Heritage described an ANACS XF40 example with doubling across the front stars, lettering, date, and bust. The back showed an even stronger second impression.
A separate AU50 coin appeared in the 1997 Pennsylvania Cabinet sale, also with doubling on both faces. Extra outlines at its right-hand stars suggested another blow, but they did not establish a definite third strike.
Estimated Value
The ANACS XF40 dollar sold for $1,870 on August 22, 1995. XF40 indicates wear with many design details still visible; that old result is not a current price quote.
An estimated modern whole-coin range is $5,000–$50,000 for clearly identified circulated double strikes. Wide separation, readable dates, and pleasing surfaces support stronger prices.
The separate AU50 example should be assessed on its own. A possible extra outline does not automatically earn a triple-strike premium.
How to Identify
Inspect the back first if the front doubling is faint. The recorded XF40 example has stronger separation there, making the repeated lettering easier to recognize.
Then compare the front date, stars, and portrait under a magnifier. A true second strike should explain several shifted parts of the design together.
A narrow flat ledge beside one letter can result from a tool moving during the strike. It does not by itself show that the whole coin received another blow.
Check photographs of both faces rather than counting every visible edge as a separate strike. The Pennsylvania Cabinet coin illustrates why crowded star outlines need careful interpretation.
A clearly shifted second set of both lettering and design is more convincing than one doubled-looking star.
Conclusion
The 1797 BB-73 dollar can show tiny early tool marks, later cracks, or a palm-leaf outline beside Liberty’s face. Double striking creates a broader shift across the design.
For circulated examples, the estimated whole-coin span is $1,500–$50,000. Wear, cleaning, and the strength of the unusual feature all affect the result.
Compare the correct star arrangement and lettering first, then inspect the specific mark under changing light.