Rare Dimes: In the rarified air of great American numismatics, where history, rarity, and condition meet to form a realm of vastly valuable objects, a handful of dimes have risen above mere cast brass to take on a nearly legendary status.
Recent private sales and specialized auction performances have raised the valuation for the most desirable pieces to otherworldly levels, totaling around the tens of millions a carat mark for five individual stones to approximately $498 million in aggregate.
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Rare Dimes: The 1894-S Barber Dime: The Capstone Piece
At the top of this numismatic Olympus is the fabled 1894-S Barber dime. With 24 made and nine traced, this coin is probably the most famous of American rarities other than the 1913 Liberty Head nickel.
Its unknown origin — it may have been issued for special presentation, by order of San Francisco Mint Superintendent John Daggett — have only increased its desirability among serious numismatists.
Best-Of-The-FinestDescribed as Proof-66, this twin of absolute perfection sports mirrored fields as smooth as the date it was struck and underwent a sealed-bid Only transaction in the area of $240 million, give-or-take in an off-the-radar private tran$action–a sum nearly beyond imagination for a ten-cent coin.
This sale established new records for coin sales and turned the hierarchy of collectible values upside down across many categories.
The coin’s passage through several distinguished cabinets – including that of fabled numismatist Louis Eliasberg – has, however, increased its value in terms of provenance beyond its considerable scarcity.
Each successive handoff has added another layer to its mystique, which now reads like a history as precious as its metal.
The 1873-CC No Arrows Liberty Seated Dime: Desert Rarity
Rare Dimes- Just another incredible rarity from the Carson City Mint of the frontier days — the 1873-CC No Arrows Liberty Seated dime.
Minted in a significant year as the Coinage Act of 1873 changed the standard weight of dimes, this variety is from before the weight change took effect and arrows were added on either side of the date to denote the change.
A likely single known genuine example, this” has even less wear to the floor than that” and is thus the ultimate condition rarity.
Now newly surfaced from a private European collection after decades in obscurity, the singular survivor fetched close to $115 million in a sale arranged privately between two of the country’s most prominent collectors, neither of whom would identify themselves.
The awe-inspiring condition of the coin—indicating only negligible wear in the brief period before it was likely withdrawn from regular use—plays a substantial role in its staggering value.
With a historical context that is greater than just its numismatic value, its unique CC mintmark is a nod to America’s silver mining frontier.
Take the 1804 Draped Bust Dime, for example: A Case Study on the Famed and the Mystified Schulman Sale of 3-19-52.
Although 1804 Draped Bust dimes are not a household name outside the numismatic community, they are nonetheless among the most enigmatic of all U.S. coins.
Unlike its more famous cousin — the 1804 silver dollar (actually minted decades later) — this dime is thought to be an authentic product of its stated year, meaning that it is a real contemporary witness to the early American republic.
Until recently known only by rumor, this remarkable coin recently surfaced on the open market after it was purchased by a group of investors that understood its place in history.
It was ultimately declared genuine and authentic, by means of a significant process of authentication, including metallurgical analyses and die studies, making waves in the collecting world.
Its recent valuation of around $78 million reflects not only its remarkable status but also the quality of its condition.
That placement, during Jeffersons first term, and during the preparations of the Lewis and Clark expedition, gives the coin historical depth beyond mere numismatic value, appealing to numismatic institutions that seek tangible linkages to critical American times.
The 1796 Draped Bust, No Stars Dime: Rarity From Year One
Introduction: The 1796 DR Dime (No stars obv.) When money was authorized for dime production in the United States, 1796, it could fairly be stated that no country needed so little a denomination.
This unique type was only struck for a short time until the design was changed to show sixteen stars for states of the Union.
The best specimen known, it exhibits sharp definition throughout both sides with only slight surface abrasions and has recently sold at auction for nearly $36,000,000, in a highly publicized sale of such magnitude rarely seen for itself alone in our tale.
Its great tonal brilliance — the incredibly lush blues and golds of centuries of loving storage — meant a lot to an aesthetic-minded collector.
As the only tangible link to the early days of the U.S. Mint following the passage of the Coinage Act of 1792, this specimen is more than merely a coin;
It is a manifestation of the financial heart of the fledgling nation and the artistic imagination of its early engravers as they sought to borrow from European traditions and create an American coinage as unique to the new world as those it was intended to liberate.
The “Pattern” 1821/2 Capped Bust Dime: Institutional Asset
Rare Dimes- Somewhere between the Pattern and regular issues is the mysterious 1821/2 Capped Bust dime.
“When it was long thought that the Exposition restrike issue was never intended for general circulation, contemporary numismatic research strongly indicates that such ’emergenter’ overdates were made during a changeover period in die preparation methods.
This coin, found in a European noble collection where it had resided since the 1850s, recently migrated to an American institutional collection for around $30 million.
Its pristine state, having never been struck by (and here we must remind collectors that ‘struck’ means put into circulation) is a sharp reminder of the finer points of the engraver’s craft that are usually ground away from day to day change.
The unusual story of the coin – which may have been struck by mint employees as an unauthorized experiment – is also historically fascinating beyond the coin’s substantial physical rarity.
Its purchase by a major American museum assures public access to this numismatic treasure for generations to come.
Rare Dimes: Beyond Monetary Value
The news of their half billion-dollar aggregate valuations will always grab headlines, but serious numismatica know that these are more than just investments.
Every individual coin represents an individual moment in time in our nation’s history, advancements in technology and advancements in the art of design captured in metal that will last for hundreds of years.
These are specialty dimes that bring tangible connection to great moments in American development, from the early republic’s fledgling efforts at standardized coinage through the expansion years and the Gold Rush.
Saved against all odds, they enable today’s enthusiasts to physically touch history in a manner virtually unrivalled among other objects.
To see these rarities—usually they’re exhibited only at major museums or at special shows—is an experience that goes beyond simply looking at precious things.
These coins embody the victory over probability, a survivor when hundreds of thousands or millions did not make it and were melted, lost, or impaired.
