Dimes — Complete U.S. Dime Series Guide & Values
Draped Bust to Roosevelt • 225+ Years of America's Smallest Silver Coin
Value Overview by Series
Values shown are broad approximate ranges for common-date circulated examples within each series. See each series' dedicated guide for complete date-by-date values and key dates.
| Series | Years | Composition | Common Date Range | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draped Bust | 1796–1807 | .8924 Silver | $800–$15,000+ | Shop eBay → |
| Capped Bust | 1809–1837 | .8924 Silver | $60–$2,000+ | Shop eBay → |
| Seated Liberty | 1837–1891 | 90% Silver | $15–$150+ | Shop eBay → |
| Barber | 1892–1916 | 90% Silver | $3–$25+ | View Guide → |
| Mercury | 1916–1945 | 90% Silver | $2–$20+ | View Guide → |
| Roosevelt (silver era) | 1946–1964 | 90% Silver | $1.50–$5+ | Shop eBay → |
| Roosevelt (clad era) | 1965–present | Copper-Nickel Clad | Face value | Shop eBay → |
The History of the U.S. Dime
The dime traces its origin to the Coinage Act of 1792, which established the "disme" — an archaic French-derived term for one-tenth — as one of the original denominations of U.S. federal coinage. A small number of 1792 disme patterns were struck in copper, but they never entered circulation, and their precise legal status remains debated by numismatists. The first dimes actually struck for circulation weren't produced until 1796, using the modern spelling, with a modest mintage of just 22,135 Draped Bust Small Eagle pieces.
Like several other early American denominations, dime production in its first decades was genuinely sporadic rather than continuous. No dimes were struck in 1799, 1806, or 1808 — years when the Mint's limited capacity was directed elsewhere, or when insufficient silver bullion was deposited by depositors to justify a striking run (the Mint operated on a deposit-driven system in this era, not a fixed annual schedule). Production became far more consistent from 1809 onward with the introduction of the Capped Bust design, though mintages remained modest by later standards until the Seated Liberty era beginning in 1837 brought sustained, higher-volume production. The dime has been struck every year since 1837 without exception — the last of the early gaps.
Every U.S. Dime Series
The dime denomination encompasses six major design eras across its 225+ year history, with several sharing composition and collecting characteristics closely enough that they're often studied together as "Early Dimes." Click any series below for a dedicated guide with date-by-date values, key dates, and grading information.
Early Dimes
Seated Liberty Dimes
Barber Dimes
Mercury Dimes
Roosevelt Dimes
Dime Error Coins
Full Coin Price Guide
Silver Bullion Guide
Silver Content Across the Series
The dime's metal composition has changed twice in ways that matter for evaluating a coin's melt value. From 1796 through 1837, dimes were struck in .8924 fine silver — a slightly lower purity standard than later coinage. Starting with the Seated Liberty Dime in 1837, the Mint moved to the .900 fine silver standard that continued through 1964, giving these coins approximately 0.0723 troy ounces of pure silver per coin. In 1965, the Coinage Act eliminated silver from the dime entirely, replacing it with a copper-nickel clad composition (75% copper / 25% nickel outer layers bonded to a pure copper core) that remains standard for circulating dimes today.
This means date recognition alone tells you most of what you need to know about a dime's baseline bullion value: any dime dated 1964 or earlier is silver, while any dime dated 1965 or later is silver-free clad composition worth face value unless it carries a numismatic premium. Special silver proof versions of modern Roosevelt dimes have been struck for collectors since 1992, but these are clearly marked and sold separately from circulating coinage. The Mint has also occasionally issued special one-year commemorative dime designs — including a dual-dated 1776–2026 "Emerging Liberty" dime marking America's 250th anniversary — alongside the standard Roosevelt design.
Collecting the Dime Denomination
The dime's long and eventful design history — thirteen distinct major types by some counts, once every Seated Liberty sub-variety is counted separately — makes it a genuinely rewarding denomination for type collectors, tracing American coin artistry from the earliest days of the Republic through the present. Because common-date examples of the later series (Barber, Mercury, Roosevelt) are widely available and affordable, a meaningful type set is achievable for most collectors without requiring pursuit of the denomination's rarest key dates — though the earliest types (1796 Draped Bust) command serious premiums even in heavily worn condition due to their genuine scarcity and historical significance as some of the first coins struck by the U.S. Mint.
For collectors focused on silver content and bullion value, pre-1965 dimes (commonly traded as "junk silver" in the bullion trade when in worn, non-collectible condition) offer one of the most accessible ways to acquire silver holdings, since even common dates from the 1940s through early 1960s are widely available at modest premiums over melt. PCGS and NGC both grade dimes across every series, and certification becomes increasingly important as coin value rises — particularly for the earliest 18th and 19th century types and any of the well-documented key dates (1916-D, 1921, 1921-D, 1894-S) where authentication and condition assessment carry substantial weight in final value.
Where to Buy Dimes
eBay — All Dime Series
eBay — 90% Silver Dimes
JM Bullion
Kitco
Money Metals Exchange
SD Bullion
Silver Gold Bull
FRC Coin Price Guide
Find Dimes on eBayMoney Back Guarantee
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the oldest dime series?
The Draped Bust Dime, first struck for circulation in 1796, is the earliest series — one of the very first coins struck by the newly established United States Mint. A small number of 1792 "disme" patterns exist, but they were never released into circulation and their legal status as genuine coinage is debated. The Draped Bust design ran through 1807 (with production gaps in 1799 and 1806) before the Capped Bust design took over in 1809, following one more gap year in 1808.
How can I tell if my dime is silver?
The date tells you almost everything you need to know. Any dime dated 1964 or earlier is silver — .8924 fine for dates before 1837, and .900 fine (90% silver) from 1837 through 1964. Any dime dated 1965 or later is copper-nickel clad and contains no silver at all, unless it's a specially marked silver proof collector issue sold separately since 1992. This simple date-based rule applies across every series and is the fastest way to evaluate a dime's baseline bullion value before considering any numismatic premium.
What is the most valuable dime series?
Early Dimes (Draped Bust and Capped Bust, 1796–1837) generally command the highest values as a series overall, given their age, historical significance, and relative scarcity compared to later 19th and 20th century dimes. Within any individual series, however, specific key dates can be dramatically more valuable than the series' typical range — the 1916-D Mercury Dime and 1894-S Barber Dime are both extreme rarities that rival or exceed early dime values despite belonging to series with otherwise moderate typical prices.
Why weren't dimes struck every year in the early 1800s?
The early U.S. Mint operated on a deposit-driven system rather than a fixed annual production schedule — coins were struck largely in response to silver bullion deposited by individuals and institutions, not according to a guaranteed yearly quota. When insufficient silver was deposited specifically for dimes, or when Mint capacity was directed toward more urgently needed denominations, no dimes were struck that year at all. This explains the documented gaps in 1799, 1806, and 1808, before production became fully consistent from 1837 onward with the Seated Liberty series.
Are old dimes a good investment?
Pre-1965 dimes carry genuine silver bullion value (approximately 0.0723 troy ounces for common dates from 1837 onward) that provides a price floor independent of numismatic factors, while scarcer dates and better-preserved examples carry additional collector premiums. Whether they represent a "good investment" depends on both silver price performance and numismatic market trends, which we cannot predict — we recommend consulting a qualified financial advisor before making significant purchases. Many collectors pursue dimes primarily for historical and numismatic interest rather than as a pure investment vehicle.
What is a good starting point for collecting dimes?
Building a type set — one representative example of each major design across the denomination's 225+ year history — is one of the most popular and achievable dime collecting goals, since common-date examples of the more recent series (Barber, Mercury, Roosevelt) are widely available and affordable. From there, many collectors specialize further into a specific series (such as Mercury or Barber) to pursue that series' complete date-and-mintmark run and key dates in greater depth.
From the earliest 1792 Half Disme to the modern Roosevelt and Semiquincentennial issues, this book explores the evolution of the dime in remarkable detail.
Features over 1,500 full-color photographs, with close-ups of key varieties, historical images, and detailed enlargements.- Includes detailed retail pricing, auction records, rarity ratings,
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