Seated Liberty Dimes — Values, Key Dates & the King of Dimes
1837–1891 • No Stars, Stars & Legend Types • The Unique $3.6M 1873-CC
Seated Liberty Dime Value Guide
Key Dates and Typical Values by Type
| Date / Type | Mintage | Good (G-4) | Fine (F-12) | VF-20 | AU-50+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1837–1838 No Stars (one-year type) | Varies | $60 | $150 | $350 | $1,200+ |
| 1838–1860 Stars (common date) | Varies | $15 | $30 | $70 | $300+ |
| 1853 Arrows (weight reduction) | Varies | $15 | $30 | $80 | $400+ |
| 1860–1891 Legend (common date) | Varies | $12 | $25 | $60 | $250+ |
| 1873-CC With Arrows | 18,791 | $8,000+ | $20,000+ | $40,000+ | $60,000 – $100,000+ |
| 1874-CC With Arrows | 10,817 | $25,000+ | $60,000+ | $100,000+ | $200,000+ |
| 1873-CC No Arrows — The King | 12,400 (all but 1 melted) | $3,600,000 — the only known example | Not for sale — unique | ||
Origins of the Seated Liberty Dime
The Seated Liberty Dime succeeded the Capped Bust design in 1837, adopting Christian Gobrecht's seated Liberty motif already established on the dollar. The series would go on to become the longest-running dime design in American history at 54 years, spanning the run-up to the Civil War, the war itself, Reconstruction, and the beginning of the Gilded Age. The obverse depicts Liberty seated on a rock, holding a shield inscribed "LIBERTY" and a pole topped with a Phrygian cap, while the reverse carries a simple wreath encircling the denomination.
The series was struck at five different mints across its run — Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carson City, and briefly Charlotte and Dahlonega on the half dime side of the same family — creating a rich variety of mint mark combinations that fuel serious collector interest today. Within that variety lies one of the single greatest rarities in all of American numismatics: a coin that would eventually sell for $3.6 million, from a mint mark and date combination most collectors have never even heard of.
Design Types and Major Varieties
The Seated Liberty Dime divides into several sub-types across its run. The original 1837–1838 design had no stars around the border — a brief, one-year-only type before stars were added surrounding Liberty starting later in 1838, running through 1860. In 1853, a weight reduction prompted the addition of arrows beside the date, a design cue continued through 1855 before being dropped. In 1860, the border stars were replaced with a "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" legend, and this Legend type ran through the end of the series in 1891.
A second, smaller arrows episode struck in 1873 and 1874 marks the design's most consequential moment. The Coinage Act of February 12, 1873 mandated a small weight increase for the dime (from 2.48 grams to 2.50 grams) alongside abolishing the standard silver dollar entirely — the same law that gave rise to the Trade Dollar. Arrows were again added beside the date to visually distinguish the new, heavier coins from the old standard, exactly as had been done twenty years earlier for the opposite reason.
The 1873-CC No Arrows — "The King of Dimes"
In January 1873, the Carson City Mint struck 12,400 dimes at the original, lighter 2.48-gram standard — routine production, business as usual. A month later, President Grant signed the Coinage Act mandating the weight increase described above, and dies bearing arrows at the date arrived at Carson City soon after to mark the change. Because they were now struck at the obsolete lighter standard, the No Arrows dimes already produced were never officially released for circulation — and the overwhelming majority were melted down and recoined into the new, heavier standard.
Only one example escaped. Its earliest documented appearance was in an 1878 Edward Cogan sale from the collection of John Swan Randall; from there it passed through some of the most legendary names in American numismatics — H.O. Granberg, Waldo Newcomer, and eventually Louis E. Eliasberg, whose complete collection of U.S. coinage remains legendary to this day. Graded MS-65 and rated R-10.0 by PCGS — the highest rarity rating that exists, with a survival estimate of exactly one coin — this single dime has become one of the most valuable coins in American history. It sold for $891,250 in 2004, $1.84 million in 2012, and a record-shattering $3.6 million in January 2023, decisively overtaking the previously record-holding 1894-S Barber Dime. There is no second example to buy: this coin is simply not attainable by any collector, at any price, unless its current owner chooses to sell.
Key Dates and Major Rarities
1873-CC No Arrows — The King
1874-CC With Arrows
1873-CC With Arrows
1837–1838 No Stars — One-Year Type
1853 Arrows — Weight Reduction
1860 Legend — First Year
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most valuable dime in American history?
The 1873-CC No Arrows Seated Liberty Dime — known as "The King of Dimes." Only one example is known to exist out of an original mintage of 12,400, after the rest were melted following a mid-year weight change. It sold for $3.6 million at auction in January 2023, making it not just the most valuable dime ever, but one of the most valuable coins of any denomination in American numismatic history.
Why was almost the entire 1873-CC No Arrows mintage melted?
In January 1873, Carson City struck 12,400 dimes at the original 2.48-gram weight standard — completely routine production at the time. A month later, the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873 mandated a small weight increase (to 2.50 grams) to distinguish new coins from old, and arrow-marked dies soon arrived at Carson City reflecting the change. Because the No Arrows dimes were now struck at an obsolete weight standard, they were never officially released and the overwhelming majority were melted down and recoined into the new, heavier standard. Only one escaped that fate.
Can I buy an 1873-CC No Arrows dime?
No — not unless its current owner chooses to sell. Because only one example exists in the entire world, it is not a coin that can simply be purchased on the open market like other rarities. Its documented ownership history traces back to an 1878 sale and includes some of the most legendary collectors in American numismatics, including Louis E. Eliasberg, whose complete collection of U.S. coinage remains legendary today.
What is the difference between the 1873-CC No Arrows and With Arrows dimes?
Both were struck at Carson City in 1873, but at different points in the year and different weight standards. The No Arrows version (12,400 struck, only 1 surviving) was made before the Coinage Act's weight change took effect. The With Arrows version (18,791 struck, roughly 128 known certified examples) was made afterward, at the new heavier standard, with arrows added beside the date specifically to distinguish it visually from the old coins. Both are major rarities, though the No Arrows variety is in an entirely different category given its uniqueness.
What are the main Seated Liberty Dime types?
The series divides into four major sub-types: No Stars (1837–1838, a brief one-year design), Stars (1838–1860, the longest-running type), Arrows (1853–1855, marking a weight reduction), and Legend (1860–1891, replacing border stars with "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"). A separate, smaller 1873–1874 arrows episode marks the weight increase associated with the famous Carson City rarity. Building a type set with one example of each major design is a popular and achievable collecting goal.
What is a good entry point for collecting Seated Liberty Dimes?
Common-date Stars and Legend type dimes from Philadelphia in Good to Fine condition offer the most accessible entry point, typically available for $12–$30. From there, collectors often pursue the No Stars and Arrows sub-types as distinctive type coins before working toward the more challenging branch mint issues. The Carson City dates — and especially the 1873-CC and 1874-CC — represent the ultimate, largely unattainable challenge that defines a truly complete Seated Liberty Dime collection.
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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