George Washington ordered the United States Mint to create its first coinage, the dime, in 1792. The majority of these uncommon dimes were made of silver, but the Coinage Act of 1965 eliminated all silver dimes and substituted copper and nickel dimes.
Surprisingly, some dimes are very precious and rare today, and their prices are based on a number of factors, such as limited production runs and production faults.
The five rarest and most valuable dimes in the US are listed below:
1. Mercury Dime, 1945 S Micro S Dull Band, $18,800
Unlike other 1945 dimes, the 1945 S Micro S Dull Band Mercury Dime features a mintmark that is far smaller than typical:
This dime appeals to coin collectors because of its dazzling shine and imperial-level appearance. It is also composed of 90% silver and 10% copper.
Even though there were many of these dimes produced, the NGC (Coin Grading) has only rated 1,200 of them as being in pristine condition. At auction, one of these dimes brought $18,800.
2. $27,600 for 1860 Liberty Seated Dime
The 1860 dime, created by Christian Gobrecht and struck at the Philadelphia Mint, depicts a seated Liberty.
The United States of America was used in place of the stars when they were removed by the US Mint in 1860. Only 100 of the more than 600,000 of these dimes that were produced have been discovered to be in good condition.
In an auction, one of them brought $27,600.
3. $31,103, 1968 No S Roosevelt Dime Proof
Since the San Francisco Mint accidentally struck them unmarked, the 1968 No S Roosevelt Dime Proof is incredibly rare:
Since the error was discovered early, there are only 12 of these extremely uncommon dimes known to exist.
These dimes are a total mystery because there is no mint record for them, which raises collectors’ demand.
At auction, one of these dimes brought $31,103.
4. Liberty Dime, 1856 S Seated, $43,700
The San Francisco Mint produced the 1856 S Seated Liberty Dimes, which were composed of 90% silver and 10% copper.
These dimes are hard to find because just 70,000 were produced and only a small number are left today.
The value of an 1856 S Seated Liberty dime in good condition is around $43,700; however, the exact cost may vary depending on the dime’s condition.
5. $51,750 for 1860 O Seated Liberty Dime
Because of its amazing design, the 1860 O Seated Liberty Dime, which was struck in New Orleans, has earned a significant place in collectors’ hearts.
The Legend Observe design took the place of the previous Star Observe design. When Louisiana broke away from the Union in 1861, just 40,000 of these dimes were produced, and many of them were melted.
Due to its unique and intriguing history, this dime is extremely important; its estimated cost is $51,750.