ROBERT SCOT & THE DRAPED BUST DESIGN

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V21 2018 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 21, Number 1, January 7, 2018, Article 9

Bill Nyberg submitted these thoughts on the designer of the Draped Bust dollar. Thanks. -Editor

This response is regarding the 12-24-17 E-Sylum that requested comments from readers for coins including a very impressive 1795 Off-Center Draped Bust dollar, graded NGC SP62, from the Heritage FUN auction.

The lot #1271 auction description for the 1795 Off-Center Draped Bust dollar stated “The designer and engraver remain unidentified”.

The subject of the Draped Bust designer and engraver was previously debated on the E-Sylum from 3-28-2010 to 4-25-2010. Additional contemporary evidence has been published since that time. Chief Engraver Robert Scot’s engraving report to the Congressional “Committee on the Mint” was first published in full within my August, 2012 John Reich Journal article, and also in my book Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty. The key paragraph from Scot’s December, 1794 report reads:

“It may be necessary in this remark to enumerate (to the Committee on the Mint) what I think the actual duties of my office are. Viz. Engraving and sinking all Original Dies, raising and finishing all Hubbs that are struck out of them, and raising and finishing all punches that may be requisite to the completion of Dies or Hubbs; letter punches excepted. These may be imported or procured from those of that profession.”

Elias Boudinot, Congressman from New Jersey and head of the Committee on the Mint, condensed Scot’s report and communicated to the House of Representatives on February 9, 1795:

“The Engraver, whose actual duties are the raising and furnishing all punches that are requisite for the completion of the dies, the engraving and sinking of all Original Dies, and raising all Hubbs that are struck out of them. He has an assistant, occasionally, as the business is urgent.”

Elias Boudinot became Director of the Mint in October of 1795. Boudinot published “Orders and Directions for Conducting the Mint of the United States” dated November 2, 1795 to set rules, policies, and procedures for the Mint, including the Engraver. Boudinot’s work was printed by John Fenno in 1796. From page 29:

“The Engraver. It is his duty to have prepared and to engrave all the dies necessary for the Mint, as ordered from time to time by the Director, and to provide such a number of each denomination on hand, as to prevent unnecessary delays that may be occasioned by breaking &c. He will be allowed a forger and hardener of dies to prepare and temper the same.”

The “Original Dies” are the device designs for Liberty and the Eagle. These important events established engraving policy for the Mint in 1795, and represent conclusive evidence that Robert Scot, appointed Engraver of the Mint by President George Washington, was the engraver of the Draped Bust designs.