If you’re interested in collecting dimes, you might want to know the highest value it can reach. With these 20 Most Valuable Dimes, you’ll be surprised that many of them can get a value of thousands and even millions of dollars. Without further ado, let’s get into these highly valuable coins.
| No. | Coin Name | Value (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1873 CC No Arrow Liberty Seated Dime | $3,600,000 |
| 2 | 1894 S Barber Dime Branch Mint | $1,997,500 |
| 3 | 1796 JR-1 Draped Bust Dime | $881,250 |
| 4 | 1804 14 Stars Draped Bust Dime | $632,500 |
| 5 | 1873 Arrows CC Liberty Seated Dime | $552,000 |
| 6 | 1975 No S Proof Roosevelt Dime | $456,000 |
| 7 | 1822 Proof Capped Bust Dime | $440,625 |
| 8 | 1797 13 Stars Draped Bust Dime | $402,500 |
| 9 | 1800 Draped Bust Dime | $352,500 |
| 10 | 1938 S Mercury Dime | $364,500 |
| 11 | 1803 Draped Bust Dime | $322,000 |
| 12 | 1841 No Drapery Proof Liberty Seated Dime | $312,000 |
| 13 | 1871 CC Liberty Seated Dime | $270,250 |
| 14 | 1931 S Mercury Dime | $270,250 |
| 15 | 1798 Small 8 Draped Bust Dime | $253,000 |
| 16 | 1916 D Mercury Dime | $207,000 |
| 17 | 1805 4 Berries Draped Bust Dimes | $188,000 |
| 18 | 1804 13 Star Reverse Draped Bust Dime | $164,500 |
| 19 | 1919 D Mercury Dime | $156,000 |
1. 1873 CC No Arrow Liberty Seated Dime
- Value: $3,600,000
- Grading: MS-65
The year was 1873 when the production of dimes at the Carson City Mint promised to include two arrows flanking the date. However, due to an oversight, approximately 12,400 of these dimes were minted without this feature.
Reports indicate that these faulty coins were later melted down to correct the error. However, one is known to have survived. And in January of 2023, that dime broke records.
2. 1894 S Barber Dime Branch Mint
- Value: $1,997,500
- Grading: PF-66
Of the initial twenty-four coins, just nine remain of the 1894 S Barber Dime. Due to their rarity, collectors have a great interest in these coins, and they fetch exorbitant prices at auctions.
For instance, an 1894-S Barber dime was sold for a staggering sum of $1,997,500 in 2016. And dimes minted in 1894 under the S mintmark can easily fetch upwards of a million dollars on the market.
3. 1796 JR-1 Draped Bust Dime
- Value: $881,250
- Grading: MS-67
Although the Philadelphia Mint manufactured more than 22,000 dimes in 1796, only an extremely minuscule amount exists today. It’s estimated to be less than 1,000.
Even more impressive is the fact that this specific coin has endured in impeccable condition, retaining its luster at an astonishing MS-67 grading. As a result, it has gained an estimated value of $1 million today.
4. 1804 14 Stars Draped Bust Dime
- Value: $632,500
- Grading: AU-58
Only 8,264 dimes were produced in 1804 across all of the mint locations. Of these, some have 13 stars on the back of the coin, and others have 14.
It’s because each die was individually created by hand, meaning the engraver decides how many stars to put above the eagle’s head. There are currently estimated to be only twenty dimes with 14 stars remaining.
5. 1873 Arrows CC Liberty Seated Dime
- Value: $552,000
- Grading: MS-65
With just 18,791 produced, it’s unsurprising that this coin is priced so high today. With more than a hundred years since its mintage, this particular dime has a very high MS-65 grading. This is the only MS-65 coin from this series, increasing its value significantly.
6. 1975 No S Proof Roosevelt Dime
- Value: $456,000
- Grading: PF-68
Among the more modern coin in this list, this proof coin is the first from the Roosevelt Dime series. There are only two known examples of the 1975 S No S Dime.
The first coin was found in a 1975 S Proof Set in 1977, while the second one was discovered seven years later. These coins had never been put up for auction until the first one was included in Stack’s-Bowers’ offering at the ANA sale in 2011.
7. 1822 Proof Capped Bust Dime
- Value: $440,625
- Grading: PF-66
The 1822 Proof Dime is considered quite rare, with a rarity rating of R.3. Only five coins are estimated to survive. It has been previously sold at auctions, with the most recent one being for $440,625.
This particular coin was graded as PF-66 and featured a Cameo finish, making it especially valuable. It’s believed that only two to five examples of this coin exist, made even rarer by its excellent condition.
8. 1797 13 Stars Draped Bust Dime
- Value: $402,500
- Grading: MS-65
In 1797, two varieties of coins were made: 13 Stars and 16 stars. This error is due to the fact that the dies from this era are made by hand. Engraver Robert Scot made a die with 13 stars early in the year and made another die with 16 stars later that year.
It’s not known how many of these coins are made. However, one thing is for sure ─the 13 stars are more valuable and scarce.
9. 1800 Draped Bust Dime
- Value: $352,500
- Grading: MS-66
Only 21,760 dimes were made in that particular year. Today, it is believed that less than a hundred of these dimes remain available. Only three of them have the MS-66 grading.
So, with its high grading and quality strike, this dime is a lot harder to come by. The result is almost every coin is sold in the thousands, with the highest being $352,500.
10. 1938 S Mercury Dime
- Value: $364,500
- Grading: MS-68+ FB
The 1938 S Mercury Dime is a deviation in this list as its mintage is pretty high at a total of eight million. In its circulated state, you could easily purchase one for just a few dollars. However, higher uncirculated grades are pretty rare.
One of those is this dime with a grade of MS-68+ ─almost in mint state! Also, it’s under the Full Band strike character, so it’s easy to say that this is the highest quality of 1938 S Dime.
11. 1803 Draped Bust Dime
- Value: $322,000
- Grading: MS-64
In the early years of America, coin collecting was not as popular as it is now. So, it’s a surprise that a 220-year-old is in an uncirculated MS-64 condition. As a result, it is now deemed to be the best-quality 1803 bust dime, making it highly sought-after by coin collectors.
12. 1841 No Drapery Proof Liberty Seated Dime
- Value: $312,000
- Grading: PF-67+
In the year 1837, Christian Gobrecht designed the initial image of Lady Liberty without any fabric on her left elbow. Yet, a slight modification was made in 1840 to adorn the elbow with intricate drapery.
However, the Philadelphia Mint produced an error proof coin variety in 1841 with the old design. It’s believed that only a handful exist, only two or three.
13. 1871 CC Liberty Seated Dime
- Value: $270,250
- Grading: MS-65
Being a more than 100-year-old coin, the dimes from this series can fetch thousands, even with the lowest grading. Although there are lower amounts of mintages for this series, with some proof only having two coins, this one is the tenth lowest when it comes to regular strikes.
The coin with the highest value is the only remaining MS-65 grade from the 1871 CC Dime series, resulting in its high price.
14. 1931 S Mercury Dime
- Value: $270,250
- Grading: MS-67 FB
More modern coins are not sold as high as the older ones, but those with excellent strike quality are an exception. This series had a mintage of only 1.8 million, and just two examples of the 1931 MS-67 Full Band dime are known to exist. So, it has a very high price.
15. 1798 Small 8 Draped Bust Dime
- Value: $253,000
- Grading: MS-66
In the 1700s, mint workers individually created and engraved the coin dies by hand. It can result in a varying feature, even within the same mint year. This particular version of dime has a unique feature in its date: a smaller number, 8. Combining this rare variety and the very high MS-66 grading, this coin is sold at a quarter of a million.
16. 1916 D Mercury Dime
- Value: $207,000
- Grading: MS-67 FB
This 1916 D Mercury Dime is a highly sought-after and scarce coin that holds immense value for collectors and investors alike. Minted at the Denver Mint in 1916, this coin features a Full Band designation. With only 264,000 dimes produced, the higher grade for these coins is quite rare.
17. 1805 4 Berries Draped Bust Dimes
- Value: $188,000
- Grading: MS-67
This rare 1805 Dime is a prized possession for any collector, as it features the highly coveted “4 Berries” variety of the Draped Bust design. Only a few thousand dimes with this specific arrangement were minted in 1805. Graded at MS-67, it showcases striking details and remarkable conditions, further increasing its collectability.
18. 1804 13 Star Reverse Draped Bust Dime
- Value: $164,500
- Grading: AU-55
The 1804 13 Stars Reverse is a scarce variety of the Draped Bust Dime. The actual regular strike for this year has 14 stars. However, all 13-star dimes on the market show some wear, with the highest grade available being AU-55. But it still fetched a very high price!
19. 1919 D Mercury Dime
- Value: $156,000
- Grading: MS-66 FB
With almost ten million coins produced by Denver in 1919, it might be surprising for some to see it in this list. That said, only seven MS-66 with a Full Band designation exist. So, it gained a very high value, with most being more than a hundred thousand dollars.
In Conclusion
With these 20 Most Valuable Dimes, you now know that this 10-cent piece can hold tremendous value. Some even come to thousands and millions! Now you’re up to date with the most important dimes, so make sure to be on the lookout for these different series.
Jenson is a professional numismatist, a dedicated coin collector, a graduate of the College of Business at Oregon State, a life member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), and an overall coin nerd. He is the founder of Coin Value List.