Most Valuable Dimes Worth Money

Dimes have been part of the American experience as long as the country has produced coinage. The 10-cent piece has been produced, in one form or another, since 1796 – the first year of production for the newly-created US Mint.

During its more than 200 years of service, the dime has undergone many design and composition changes. In addition, some dimes have coincided with crucial moments in US history.

As a result, several dimes are now worth more than $100,000. So, this page is a guide to help you explore the American dimes that might buy more than a piece of candy.

Which Dimes Are Worth Money?

We consulted the guide produced by the NGC – the Numismatic Guaranty Company, one of two premier coin grading services – to find the dimes that are most valuable to investors. Here are the 25 most valuable dimes known to exist.

Table Key:

• – Coin series
• – SL – Seated Liberty
• – DB – Draped Bust
• – Mint mark
• – CC – Carson City
• – D – Denver
• – Production run
• – JR – John Reich, designed and minted many of the early coins. Each run is assigned a number to distinguish it.

There are a few things to note about the table. First, we used some common abbreviations for coin series and mint marks in the coin names. Any additional information listed with the name is special features of the particular dime that contribute to its value.

It is also true that the vast majority of the most valuable dimes are the earliest or oldest dimes. However, it’s not a hard and fast rule. Notably, some of the dimes produced by the Carson City Mint in the 1870s are quite valuable, including the most expensive dime on the list.

The other thing to recognize is the grade associated with each dime. All dimes on this list are considered to be in mint state under the Sheldon coin grading system and likely have imperfections that only trained investors or those with microscopes could detect. So, we’re talking about some superior coin versions that have never or rarely experienced the open air or the touch of a human hand.

The Top 10 Dimes Worth Money

Of the dimes on the list, there is a clear cream of the crop at the top. Some of the top 10 dimes bear prices above $1 million, and entry into the top 10 requires a dime to be worth no less than $325,000. So, let’s briefly discuss each of these finest ten-cent pieces:

1. 1873 Seated Liberty (CC NO ARROWS) – The top coin on the list is a product of the Carson City Mint and bears no arrows on either side of the date. Only one of these coins is known to exist, and it is valued at $2,400,000.
2. 1796 Draped Bust – The first mintage of the dime is one of the most valuable. There are two examples of this dime in the top 10 list, but this one is the other dime worth more than $1 million ($1,150,000, to be exact) to a fortunate or, more likely, well-heeled collector.
3. 1804 Draped Bust (14 STARS REV JR-2) – This early dime features one of the hallmarks of early coinage – inconsistency. Dies were often poorly made or brittle, and some had errors. In this case, an 1804 Draped Bust dime with 14 stars on its reverse (instead of 13) is worth $800,000.
4. 1796 Draped Bust – Another first-run dime, only in slightly poorer condition, is still worth $650,000.
5. 1797 Draped Bust (13 STARS JR-2) – Oddly enough, this early dime is the rarer of the two types produced in 1797, despite sporting the correct number of stars. A pristine specimen is worth $535,000 to the savvy numismatist.
6. 1800 Draped Bust – A very early dime from a very low mintage year. In fact, it is believed that 1800 dimes weren’t released until 1801. Mint state versions are exceedingly rare and can fetch as much as $455,000 at auction.
7. 1804 Draped Bust (14 STARS REV JR-2) – Another example with 14 stars, only with a near-infinitesimally lower quality, has grabbed $430,000 at auctions. The difference between this coin and the #3 coin is likely detectable only under magnification.
8. 1798 Draped Bust (SMALL 8) – As was often the case, the third production run of 1798 introduced a slightly different appearance to the dime, in that the 8 was noticeably smaller than other dimes of the same mintage. A regular 1798 dime already bears a value of $180,000, but the tiniest of changes to a single digit doubles the sale price to $360,000.
9. 1871 Seated Liberty (CC) – The Carson City Mint was a short-lived production location that sprang up in response to the California Gold Rush. As a result, many of the coins bearing its mint mark are valuable, including the 1871 edition of the dime. This ten-cent piece is worth as much as $350,000 if found to be in mint state.
10. (tie) 1804 Draped Bust/1804 Draped Bust (13 STARS REV JR-1) – The last two coins on the list are both worth an estimated $325,000 and are both from the same mintage year. The only thing separating them from the other 1804s in the top 10 is their production run, JR-1, which produced slightly more examples than JR-2.

Most Valuable Regular Issue Dimes

In the period between 1900 and present day, the US Mint has issued three distinct series of dimes. While there are valuable dimes within the ranks of these issuances, the reality is that none of them rise to the value levels of the older coins.

Interestingly, only the middle series – the Mercury dimes – has any examples with values that approach the more expensive dimes on the list. The current Roosevelt series is mostly worth ten cents, and even the Barber dimes, which were produced between 1892 and 1916, top out at around $55,000.

Nevertheless, there is some value to be found with newer dimes if you know what to look for. So, let’s discuss the Mercury and Roosevelt dimes in a bit more detail.

Mercury Dime Values (1916 – 1945)

Mercury dimes debuted in 1916 and were the dime of the United States for the next 30 years. Sculptor Adolph Weinman designed both sides of the coin and created a striking 10-cent piece. Interestingly, Weinman collaborated with Charles Barber on the dime, even though Barber had been the namesake for the previous dime.

The dimes draw their name from their obverse, upon which Weinman depicted Lady Liberty in a winged cap. The name is a misnomer, as it refers to the Roman god Mercury, who bears a similar visage. All Mercury dimes were minted with 90% silver and 10% copper.

Of the series, no Mercury dime is more valuable than the first edition of the coin. The 1916 version of the Mercury dime is quite prized, particularly if it was minted at the Denver location. Authentic 1916 Ds can be worth as much as $150,000.

The demand for Denver Mint 1916s is so great that NGC reports mint mark counterfeiting to be quite common for this coin. Both the Philadelphia and San Francisco coins have been adulterated to pass for the rarer mint mark. Thus, it is extremely necessary to authenticate a 1916 D definitively before you buy one.

There are some other valuable Mercuries out there. Both the 1918 S and 1919 S are worth more than $100,000 in mint condition, and even the 1935 S can fetch $75,000 at auction.

Roosevelt Dime Values (1945 – present)

The present incarnation of the dime has offered the same design since 1945. In that year, Congress rallied to rename and redesign the dime as a tribute to the recently deceased Franklin D. Roosevelt. The first Roosevelt dimes entered circulation on January 30, 1946 – what would have been FDR’s 64th birthday.

No Roosevelt dime is worth anything like the previous dime versions. The most expensive Roosevelt dime on the NGC’s list – a 1947 D – has only been worth $7,500 at auction.

However, relatively speaking, the earlier Roosevelt dimes are more valuable than the recent ones. One reason for this fact is the composition change that dimes underwent in 1965.

For the first 20 years of service, the Roosevelt dime’s composition was unchanged from previous versions of the dime. So, each dime contained 90% silver and 10% copper.

Rising silver prices made this composition increasingly unfeasible for the economics of the Mint’s production of dimes. Thus, the Coinage Act of 1965 changed the composition to its present alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel. This alloy, which is now the standard composition for most US coins, is known as cupronickel.

So, the silver content of earlier Roosevelt dimes may bear additional value for collectors. However, in truth, there have been no significant dimes of value produced since 1945.

What Makes a Dime Valuable?

Several factors can add to a dime’s value. We’ve already hinted at some of those issues, but let’s make sure we cover the full slate of variables.

Age

Perhaps the most important determinant of a dime’s value is its age. The youngest dime of the 25 most valuable ones listed above was produced in 1874, and the vast majority of them are products of the US Mint’s first ten years of operation.

Rarity

In terms of value addition, the rarity of the coin goes hand-in-hand with the age of it. Unsurprisingly, the general rule is that the older the dime, the more valuable it is.

However, rarity is not always related to age. In the case of the valuable dimes from the 1870s, they were never produced in tremendous numbers, and their mint location is no longer in service. So, even though they are more than 50 years younger than the oldest dimes, they are harder to find than many of their elders.

Condition

One of the primary differentiators of the value of coins from the value of silver bars or rounds is the importance of condition. Any scuff, mark, or wear and tear extant on a dime reduces its value.

Even for coins in mint condition, microscopic flaws can mean value differences of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Look no further than the two 1796 Draped Bust coins in the top 10 list above, where a one-point difference in their grades is worth half a million dollars.

Grading

However, without grading, a coin is much less valuable, regardless of its condition. A graded coin bears an undeniable advantage to the investor in terms of authenticity and trustworthiness.

It’s a double-edged sword, of course, as a coin graded lower than expected is worth less. However, without exception, all of the valuable dimes (and any other coins) have received grades from independent verification bodies and bear the reputational stamp of the experts at those organizations.

Errors

Lastly, a dime may become more valuable if it undergoes a problem during the minting process. Errors stamped into the metal are, by definition, rarer than their problem-free counterparts.

Thus, a prominent error can turn a run-of-the-mill coin into a unique one, and numismatists are always more interested in the unique. Generally speaking, the more grievous the error, the more valuable the coin is.

However, please note that errors do not refer to damage the dime incurs after its mintage. No one can simply distress their dimes and call them error coins – the error has to have been due to the Mint’s machines, processes, or workers.

How to Identify Valuable and Rare Dimes

If you want to check the dimes in your possession or want to go treasure hunting at local coin shops or, if you like, via rolls of dimes at your local bank, here are the elements that you need to examine to see if the dimes in front of you have value.

The first thing to do is check the coin’s date. As we mentioned, the older the coin, the better. For starters, you want dimes minted prior to 1965, as they consisted primarily of silver before then. In general, any dime from earlier than 1900 is your best bet for value, although there are a few from the 1910s that may be worth something.

Secondly, you need to examine the mint mark on the dime for one of two locations. Most dimes ever minted in the US came first from the Philadelphia Mint (P, or no mark), and then also the Denver Mint (D).

A smaller number of dimes came from the San Francisco Mint (S), so valuable dimes are a bit hit or miss with the California location. However, there are two Mint locations that you should especially favor: Carson City (CC) and New Orleans (O).

Both of these mints had limited years of service and never produced coins in great numbers. So, any dimes you find with CC or O mint marks are worthy of further examination.

Examine your dimes, regardless of age, for any errors. Look for blobs of metal on the surface that seem out of place according to the coin’s design features. You should also look for any cracks or creases running through the coin, as there should not be any of those.

If you believe you may have a valuable dime, consult one of the premier grading services for more information. You can look for answers either with the NGC or the PGCS, and both of these organizations should be able to provide some clarity about what you are seeing (or not seeing) on the dime in question.

We can also provide you some answers here at JM Bullion. If you are interested in getting more information or selling your valuable ten-cent pieces, we are available day or night to assist you.

Most Common Errors Seen in Dimes

As we described, errors are imperfections stamped into dimes during the production process. A dime that has simply been through the washer and dryer and slammed onto store counters is not an error coin – at least, not because of those factors.

However, we can describe some of the more common errors that the US Mint makes when it is creating dimes. Almost all of them relate to the way that coins are created – where sheets of alloy (known as “planchets”) are stamped with design plates called dies that are affixed to hydraulic presses.

• Die chips or cracks – When the die has physical damage, it cannot stamp the planchet properly. Thus, missing portions of the die create blobs on the surface of the coin.
• Doubled die – If a die itself is incorrectly made during its own production process, known as “hubbing,” it may end up with design elements repeating on the coin.
• Off-center strikes – A coin is minted by being stamped on both sides at the same time. However, if the settings on the press cause the dies to be misaligned, the resulting strike on the coin might be off-center.
• Wrong planchet – Coins are minted using an alloy prescribed by law. However, some coins are occasionally made using an incorrect alloy. If you are looking for this type of error, you want to focus your attention on transition years, where the alloy changed from one composition to another, as these are most likely to be when this type of error might occur.

Some errors are easier to identify than others. You may also not be able to tell the difference between an error and damage from wear-and-tear. In the end, you’ll need an expert eye and/or microscope to confirm that you have an error dime.

How to Start Collecting Valuable Coins

If you’re ready to begin your coin collecting journey, there are several steps that you need to undertake. Failing to complete these steps could result in a monetary loss or an unrewarding experience.

1. Educate yourself: This page is a good start, but you need to educate yourself on the different eras of dimes and what kinds of errors or rare examples exist within each one.
2. Become a grade expert: We’re not suggesting that you become a metallurgist or professional, but you should at least have a working understanding of the meaning behind each grade level and how to get a rough idea about it upon inspecting a dime.
3. Network: Use your in-person and online networks to reach out to more experienced collectors. People who have been in the trade for a while can give you tips, alert you to potential pitfalls, and/or point you in the right direction if you need a reputable dealer for buying or selling coins.
4. Set aside a budget: Like any hobby, coin collecting requires monetary investment on your part. However, you should never use money that you need for bills, food, utilities, or even family outings for this hobby. The budget should literally be money that you could set on fire and not care.
5. Figure out your storage: Though dimes are the smallest coin, they take up space. If you plan to buy numerous dimes, you need to have a secure storage container for them. If you buy an encased dime, you’ll want to make sure that your storage is reasonably fireproof, resistant to floods, and secure from most thieves who would want to steal it.
6. Decide your first move: You can begin your collection simply by looking through the dimes you have on hand. If you like, you can also try getting rolls of them from your local bank and sorting through them. However, for a more focused collection, you’ll have to start perusing online and in-person dealers and coin shops to assure that you find valuable dimes.
7. Start: Move forward with your first purchase. Do not get trapped into steps 1 – 6 forever. There will always be more that you could have done on each step, but it’s all for naught if you never make your first move. Even if you don’t buy well the first time, you’ll be more prepared for the second purchase.

Modern Dimes Worth Keeping

In general, modern dimes are not worth more than their ten-cent face values. Since 2000, the highest value dime has been a 2012 dime designated as having a full torch display on its reverse and graded to be a 69. This coin is estimated to be worth $600 – still a nice amount, but nothing like some of the bigger numbers on this page.

The primary drivers of value for any modern dime are its condition and grading. A dime preserved in its mint state might be worth tens of dollars, but it will need to be certified by the NGC/PCGS to be “eligible” for resale. In other words, it’s just a dime unless the experts say otherwise.

Related articles: 

• Most valuable quarters
• Valuable pennies worth collecting
• 1982 small date penny

The Future of Dime Collecting

Still, keep an eye out for any significant changes to the dime. Rising inflation is rendering them increasingly short on purchasing power. In the future, the dime might fall prey to the same condition afflicting pennies and nickels, where it costs more to make than its face value.

Similarly, watch for any changes to the dime’s composition. If copper continues to become more expensive, for instance, the government might decree that even less valuable metals be used for the dime. In that case, you might see an escalation of value for modern dimes (and even more so for silver ones).

Finally, keep track if the Mint decides to release a series of dimes with different designs. Individual members of the group might not be valuable, but a collection of all the dimes in the series may be worth something.