Gavin "John" Rose Collection. 4 graded MS-63, 7 higher at PCGS. B-5, BB-27 (die-state III) has to be the most common flowing-hair dollar die-marriage, easily identifiable from the obverse die alone, since it shows a raised "bar" left of the hair tresses that gives instant attribution. That any flowing-hair dollar could grade MS-63, much less even higher at either grading services might well surprise many interested parties, and indeed, NGC shows an even smaller number of very choice or better UNC bust dollars (1 in 64, 2 in 65), suggesting that the PCGS numbers are skewed by resubmissions.By way of quick diversion, it might be entertaining to explore why the silver fineness for our nation's early coinage was established at .892, rather than an arithmetically simpler .900 level, or even at the prevailing British standard of .916 (11 : 12 ratio). The answer lies in a startlingly simple, conventional solution. The Spanish "crown", then the standard for international and domestic commerce, contained an average pure silver weight of 371.25 grains, and a gross metallic weight of 416 grains. Presto - this ratio of 371.25 : 416 calculates to approximately .892 fineness, and Robert Morris, superintendent of Finance, collaborated with Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of State and Treasury respectively, to establish the standard in the Coinage Act of April 2, 1792.
Although BB-27, as the most common die-marriage among flowing-hair dollars, stands as the classic choice for type, it is far from common in mint-state grade, as the cited population report suggests. The present example features about as much detail as a blank could have picked up off the dies, especially from pair of dies used for so long, and merely trifling softness will be found at the eagle's breast. The obverse shows any number of fine adjustment marks off to the left, with some lines actually reaching all the way over the portrait, but of course, these are as-struck and should not figure into the grade. The entire presentation is bequeathed with exceptional satiny luster and endowed with iron-rose patina near the central areas, accented with flashes of sea-green, ocean-blue, and even portions of chartreuse-grey iridescence.