Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 1837-1891
Mints: Philadelphia, Carson City, New Orleans, San Francisco
Composition: 0.900 silver, 0.100 copper
Diameter: 17.9 mm
Weight: 2.67 grams
Total Mintage: approx. 247,477,444
Edge: reeded
Introduction
Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the dime initially had a composition of 90% silver and 10% copper.
The obverse design depicts an idealized form of Lady Liberty clad in a flowing dress and seated upon a rock. In her left hand, she held a pole surmounted by a liberty cap, which had been a pre-eminent symbol of freedom. Liberty's right hand rests on the top corner of a striped shield with a diagonal banner inscribed with the word LIBERTY. The shield represented preparedness in the defense of freedom. Surrounding the design were Seven stars are to the left and six to the right (13 stars were representative of the original 13 states of the Union). Later in 1860, these stars were replaced with the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
The reverse design features a wreath tied with a bow around the words "ONE DIME" and the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA encircling the overall design. Beginning in 1860, the reverse design was modified to remove the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and changed the wreath to a wreath of American agricultural products (corn & wheat). A mint mark for New Orleans (O), San Francisco (S) or Carson City (CC) is located at the bottom of the design below the bow. Coins minted at the Philadelphia mint carried no mint marks.
Major Varieties
Though only one type coin is available for the series, there are quite a few of major varieties one can pursue to expand a collection.
- Variety 1 1837 & 1838-O No Stars & No Drapery Obverse
- Variety 2 1838-1840 With Stars & No Drapery
- Variety 3 1840-1853 Stars & Drapery, weight 2.67 grams
- Variety 4 1853-1855 Arrows at Date, weight 2.49 grams
- Variety 5 1856-1859 & 1860S Stars & Drapery, weight 2.49 grams
- Variety 6 1860-1873, 1875-1891 Legend on Obverse
- Variety 7 1873-1874 Arrows at Date
General Market Notes
With 54 years of coin production (and no extremely rare specimens) examples are available to collectors of all types.
For those on a small budget examples in a grade of Very Good to Fine should be no problem.
For years that may be potential sleepers look at the 1845-O, 1847, 1849-O, 1853 no arrows, 1858-0, 1860-S, 1863-S, 1866-S, and 1867-S.
For the investor, the keys to the series (excluding proofs & errors) are the 1871-CC, 1873-CC, and 1874-CC issues. The semi-keys are: 1860-O, 1863, 1866, 1867, 1872-CC, and 1885-S.