 1799/8 B.3 (R-3). Fifteen Star Reverse. About Uncirculated or nearly so, but there are signs of an ancient cleaning which has removed most of the lustre and left faint hairlines. Retoned with attractive light golden-gray over both sides, and sharply struck throughout. Both dies were worn, clashed, rusted and cracked when this one was struck, as often seen for this long-lasting die pair. There are not rim marks or adjustment marks, and the surfaces are otherwise pleasing.
For the collector, the present variety offers two bonus events. First of all, the overdate is bold, and easily seen with a magnifier. Second, on the reverse the die engraver really bungled the job. By 1799 when this reverse was engraved, the Philadelphia Mint had decided to use the original 13 stars to represent the original 13 colonies. This was determined in 1797 when 16 states then represented by 16 stars, and the designs were getting crowded by more and more stars. Hence, in late 1797 dies engraved reflected the new mandate of 13 original stars. The Heraldic Eagle design evolved to a standard layout and pattern with 6 stars in the top arc below the clouds, followed by 5 more stars in a tighter arc at the center spanning and above the eagle's head and two more stars placed on either side of the eagle's head for the total of 13.
On this particular die, the engraver put in seven stars in the top row, six more in the center row flanked by the usual two on either side of the head. Several of the stars show repunching, and apparently the engraver was not having a banner day. Upon counting the stars, he discovered there were two too many! Realizing this would never be acceptable, so he decided to re-engrave the two end clouds much larger, thus covering over most of the two extra stars, and hoping that no one would ever notice. However, little star points extend beyond the enlarged clouds to tell the tale, much to the delight of today's collectors.
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