1795 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar

The 1795 Flowing Hair dollar is more available than its famous 1794 predecessor, the very first US silver dollar, but it remains an important and highly sought early American coin in its own right. It represents one of the earliest points at which the United States produced dollar-sized silver coinage at meaningful scale.

Collectors of early American silver value the coin both as a type example of the short-lived Flowing Hair dollar design and, for specialists, for its two distinct reverse varieties.

Following the tiny 1794 production run, the Philadelphia Mint struck 1795 dollars in considerably larger numbers as it worked to establish a reliable silver dollar coinage, again using Robert Scot's Flowing Hair design. Later in 1795, the Mint transitioned to the Draped Bust design, making the Flowing Hair dollar a two-year type confined to 1794 and 1795.

Obverse: Liberty's head with flowing, loose hair facing right, surrounded by stars, date below.

Reverse: A small eagle within a wreath, encircled by "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." Two well-known 1795 varieties are distinguished by the number of leaves visible beneath the eagle's wings on the reverse, known as the "two leaves" and "three leaves" varieties.

The edge is lettered, reading a phrase describing the coin's weight and value, consistent with other silver coinage of the era. No numeral denomination appears on the coin's faces.

Values for 1795 Flowing Hair dollars vary widely with condition, strike quality, and variety, ranging from several thousand dollars for well-worn, problem examples to well into six figures for choice, well-struck coins. The rarer of the two leaf varieties generally commands an added premium.