Coin

1 Dime "Seated Liberty Dime" without stars, date arrows removed (1863) — United States

United States • 1863 • KM# 92, PCGS# 4631-4661, 4753-4766, etc., Greysheet# 4053-4067, 4108, etc.

1 Dime "Seated Liberty Dime" without stars, date arrows removed (1863) — United States

Overview

A silver 1 Dime 'Seated Liberty Dime' of the United States. Minted in 1863 by the United States Mint of Philadelphia as a Proof strike. Features Seated Liberty looking right above her shoulder on the obverse and the denomination surrounded by a wreath on the reverse. Composed of Silver (.900) with a limit mintage of 460 pieces.

Specifications

Country
United States
Year
1863
Composition
Silver (.900) (.100 copper)
Weight
2.49 g
Diameter
17.9 mm
Thickness
1.05 mm
Mint
United States Mint of Philadelphia
Shape
Round
Technique
Milled
References
KM# 92, PCGS# 4631-4661, 4753-4766, etc., Greysheet# 4053-4067, 4108, etc.
Issuer
United States

Design details

Obverse

Seated Liberty looking right above her shoulder, with a cap on a stick and a shield, the country name divided on both sides Script: Latin Lettering: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1863 Engraver: Christian Gobrecht

Reverse

The denomination surrounded by a wreath Script: Latin Lettering: ONE DIME Engraver: Christian Gobrecht

Collector insights

  • Design heritage: Christian Gobrecht is credited as the designer for the Standard circulation coins series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
  • Struck at: United States Mint of Philadelphia. Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
  • Low mintage: Only 460 pieces reported. This puts the issue into key-date territory for its series; expect steep grade-based price scaling and a higher counterfeit risk — provenance and third-party grading matter.
  • Precious metal content: Silver (.900) (.100 copper) — bullion value provides a price floor, and many circulated examples were melted during the 1979–1980 and post-2010 silver spikes, reducing the surviving population.
  • Catalogue reference: Listed as KM# 92, PCGS# 4631-4661, 4753-4766, etc., Greysheet# 4053-4067, 4108, etc.. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

Curator Insights

Historical context

During 1863, the United States was embroiled in the American Civil War, leading to widespread hoarding of precious metal coinage. While the Philadelphia Mint continued production, silver coins like the Seated Liberty Dime rarely circulated in the North, as fractional currency notes were used for daily commerce. This specific issue represents a controlled strike intended for collectors during a period of significant economic and social instability.

Design heritage

Christian Gobrecht’s Seated Liberty motif defines this era, featuring Liberty holding a staff topped with a Phrygian cap and resting on a Union shield. The 1863 design follows the 1860 modification where the legendary 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' was moved from the reverse to the obverse, replacing the stars. The reverse displays the denomination placed within a dense agricultural wreath of corn, wheat, maple, and oak leaves.

Varieties and technical notes

This 1863 issue is a Proof strike characterized by reflective fields and sharp, squared-off rims typical of the Philadelphia Mint's specialized production. Collectors should examine the reeded edge for consistency and the date placement for alignment specific to the limited die pairs used for the Proof run. Unlike earlier years in the series, this variety lacks the arrows at the date that were previously used to indicate weight changes.

Survival and modern availability

With a confirmed mintage of only 460 pieces, this issue is a significant rarity within the Seated Liberty series. Because silver coinage was largely removed from circulation during the Civil War, those held by contemporary collectors were better preserved than typical business strikes. Modern survival is primarily limited to high-grade specimens identified in numismatic registries due to the extremely low initial production run.

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