USA 1 dime Seated Liberty Dime 1857
USA, Philadelphia
Rarity
Common
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 1 dime |
| Krause number | KM# A63.2 |
| Mintage | 5,580,000 |
| Metal | Silver 0.900 |
| thickness | 1 mm |
| diameter | 17.9 mm |
| weight | 2.49 g |
Obverse:
Liberty
Star
Creators: Christian Gobrecht
Reverse:
Wreath
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
ONE DIME
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
The law of 1853 directed that fractional silver coins were to be paid out only in exchange for gold, thus preventing a redundancy of such pieces. Mint Director Snowden, however, wanted to speed the replacement of the old tenor, heavier weight coins, so he permitted depositors of silver bullion to take their payment in fractional silver coins. This action, combined with the Mint's paying over market value for silver, created a rush that resulted in millions of dimes, quarters and halves being produced in excess of the numbers needed for commerce. This largely accounts for the high mintage of 1857 dimes, which are common today in all grades shy of MS 66. The striking quality of these coins varies considerably, the coin illustrated having an all-too-common weak reverse, but the sheer numbers of survivors provides more fully struck pieces for the discriminating buyer.Read More
