Dime (United States coin)
United States | |
Value | 0.10 U.S. dollar |
---|---|
Mass | 2.268 g (0.0729 troy oz) |
Diameter | 17.91 mm (0.705 in) |
Thickness | 1.35 mm (0.053 in) |
Edge | 118 reeds |
Composition | Current—91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel Prior to 1965—90% silver, 10% copper |
Years of minting | 1796–1798, 1800–1805, 1807, 1809, 1811, 1814, 1820–1825, 1827–1931, 1934–present |
Catalog number | – |
Obverse | |
Design | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
Designer | John R. Sinnock |
Design date | 1946 |
Reverse | |
Design | Olive branch, torch, oak branch |
Designer | John R. Sinnock |
Design date | 1946 |
The dime, in United States usage, is a ten-
The dime is the smallest in
The word dime comes from the
History
The Coinage Act of 1792 established the dime (spelled "disme" in the legislation), cent, and mill as subdivisions of the dollar equal to 1⁄10, 1⁄100 and 1⁄1000 dollar respectively.
The first known proposal for a
From 1796 to 1837, dimes were composed of 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper,[3] the value of which required the coins to be physically very small to prevent their commodity value from being worth more than face value.[4] Thus dimes are made small and thin. The silver percentage was increased to 90.0% with the introduction of the Seated Liberty dime; the use of a richer alloy was offset by reducing the diameter from 18.8 millimeters (0.740 inches) to its current figure of 17.9 millimeters (0.705 inches).[3]
With the passage of the
Starting in 1992, the U.S. Mint began issuing Silver Proof Sets annually, which contain dimes composed of the pre-1965 standard of 90% silver and 10% copper, then switched to .999 fine silver from 2019 onward. These sets are intended solely for collectors and are not meant for general circulation.[3]
Design history
Since its introduction in 1796, the dime has been issued in six different major types, excluding the 1792 "disme". The name for each type (except for the Barber dime) indicates the design on the coin's obverse.
- Draped Bust 1796–1807
- Capped Bust 1809–1837
- Seated Liberty 1837–1891
- Barber1892–1916
- Winged Liberty Head (Mercury) 1916–1945
- Roosevelt 1946–present
"Disme" (1792)
The Coinage Act of 1792, passed on April 2, 1792, authorized the mintage of a "disme", one-tenth the silver weight and value of a dollar. The composition of the disme was set at 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper. In 1792, a limited number of dismes were minted but never circulated. Some of these were struck in copper, indicating that the 1792 dismes were in fact pattern coins. The first dimes minted for circulation did not appear until 1796, due to a lack of demand for the coin and production problems at the United States Mint.[5]
Draped Bust (1796–1807)
The first dime to be circulated was the Draped Bust dime, in 1796. It featured the same obverse and reverse as all other circulating coins of the time, the so-called Draped Bust/Small Eagle design. This design was the work of then-Chief Engraver
All 1796 dimes have 15 stars on the obverse, representing the number of U.S. states then in the Union. The first 1797 dimes were minted with 16 stars, reflecting Tennessee's admission as the 16th state. Realizing that the practice of adding one star per state could quickly clutter the coin's design, U.S. Mint Director Elias Boudinot ordered a design alteration, to feature just 13 stars (for the original Thirteen Colonies). Therefore, 1797 dimes can be found with either 13 or 16 stars.[6]
Also designed by Robert Scot, the Heraldic Eagle reverse design made its debut in 1798. The obverse continued from the previous series, but the eagle on the reverse was changed from the widely criticized "scrawny" hatchling to a scaled-down version of the Great Seal of the United States. The Draped Bust/Heraldic Eagles series continued through 1807 (although no dimes dated 1799 or 1806 were minted). Both Draped Bust designs were composed of 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper.[7]
Capped Bust (1809–1837)
The Draped Bust design was succeeded by the Capped Bust, designed by Mint Assistant Engraver John Reich. Both the obverse and reverse were changed extensively. The new reverse featured a bald eagle grasping three arrows (symbolizing strength) and an olive branch (symbolizing peace). Covering the eagle's breast is a U.S. shield with six horizontal lines and 13 vertical stripes.[8] Also on the reverse is the lettering "10C," making it the only dime minted with the value given in cents (subsequent issues are inscribed with the words "ONE DIME"). The lack of numeric value markings on subsequent dime coins causes some confusion amongst foreign visitors, who may be unaware of the value of the coin. Also, the Capped Bust dime was the first dime to have its value written on the coin. Previous designs of the dime had no indication of its value, the way people determined its value was by its size [citation needed]
Capped Bust dimes minted through 1828 are known as the Large type. This is partially because they were struck without a restraining collar, which gave them a broader appearance. In 1828, Chief Engraver William Kneass introduced the close collar method of coining (which automated the process of placing reeds on a coin's edge). In addition to standardizing the diameter of coins, the new method allowed the Mint to produce thicker coins. To maintain a standard weight and alloy, the diameter of most coins was reduced. In particular, the dime was reduced in diameter from 18.8 to 18.5 millimeters. This new Capped Bust dime, which began production in 1828, is known as the Small type.[9] There are 123 varieties known of Capped Bust Dimes.
Seated Liberty (1837–1891)
The obverse features an image of Liberty sitting on a rock, wearing a dress and holding a staff with a liberty cap on top. Her right hand is balancing a shield with the inscription "LIBERTY." The reverse featured the inscription "ONE DIME," surrounded by a wreath. All Seated Liberty dimes contain 90% silver and 10% copper, and are 17.9 millimeters (0.705 inch) in diameter. This size and metal composition would continue until 1965, when silver was permanently removed from circulating dimes.[10]
There were several minor varieties during the Seated Liberty's run. The initial design (1837) had no stars on the obverse and, further, the dates were minted in a Large Date and Small Date variety. These two types can be distinguished by noting the "3" and the "7" in the date. In the Large Date variety, the "3" has a pointed serif at top, and the horizontal element of the "7" is straight. In the Small Date variety, the "3" has a rounded serif, and there is small a knob, or bulge, in the "7" horizontal element.[10] Only the Philadelphia Mint made both varieties. The Small Date is slightly rarer. The New Orleans Mint also made the Seated Liberty Dime in this year, but only in the Small Date variety.[10]
Thirteen stars (symbolizing the 13 original colonies) were added to the perimeter of the obverse in 1838.[11] These were replaced with the legend "United States of America," which was moved from the reverse in mid-1860. At the same time, the laurel wreath on the reverse was changed to a wreath of corn, wheat, maple, and oak leaves and expanded nearly to the rim of the coin. This reverse design continued through the end of the series in 1891 and was changed only slightly in 1892, when the Barber dime debuted. Another variety is the 1838–40 dime minted with no drapery underneath the left elbow of Liberty.[3]
Arrows at the date in 1853 and 1873 indicated changes made in the coin's
This produced the greatest rarities in the Seated Dime Series, the 1873 and 1874 Carson City Dimes, with arrows and the unique 1873 Carson City Dime without arrows.[13]
Barber (1892–1916)
The Barber dime is named for its designer, Charles E. Barber, who was Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint from 1879 to 1917. The design was shared with the quarter and half-dollar of the same period. Extensive internal politics surrounded the awarding of the design job, which had initially been opened to the public. A four-member committee (which included Barber), appointed by then-Mint Director James Kimball, accorded only two of more than 300 submissions an honorable mention. Kimball's successor, Edward O. Leech, decided to dispense with the committees and public design competitions and simply instructed Barber to develop a new design. It has been speculated that this is what Barber had wanted all along.[14]
The Barber dime, as with all previous dimes, featured an image of Liberty on the obverse. She is wearing a
Winged Liberty Head ("Mercury") (1916–1945)
Although most commonly referred to as the "Mercury" dime, the Winged Liberty Head does not depict the
Weinman (who had studied under Augustus Saint-Gaudens) won a 1915 competition against two other artists for the design job, and is thought to have modeled his version of Liberty on Elsie Kachel Stevens, wife of noted poet Wallace Stevens.[15] The reverse design, a fasces juxtaposed with an olive branch, was intended to symbolize America's readiness for war, combined with its desire for peace. Although the fasces was later officially adopted by Benito Mussolini and his National Fascist Party, the symbol was also common in American iconography and has generally avoided any stigma associated with its usage in wartime Italy.[15]
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1946–present)
Soon after the death of President
Due to the limited amount of time available to design the new coin, the Roosevelt dime was the first regular-issue U.S. coin designed by a Mint employee in more than 40 years. Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock was chosen, as he had already designed a Mint presidential medal of Roosevelt.[16] Sinnock's first design, submitted on October 12, 1945, was rejected, but a subsequent one was accepted on January 6, 1946.[18] The dime was released to the public on January 30, 1946, which would have been Roosevelt's 64th birthday.[19] Sinnock's design placed his initials ("JS") at the base of Roosevelt's neck, on the coin's obverse. His reverse design elements of a torch, olive branch, and oak branch symbolized, respectively, liberty, peace, and strength.[18]
Controversy immediately ensued, as strong anti-Communist sentiment in the United States led to the circulation of rumors that the "JS" engraved on the coin was the initials of Joseph Stalin, placed there by a Soviet agent in the mint.[16][20][21] The Mint quickly issued a statement denying this, confirming that the initials were indeed Sinnock's. The same rumor arose after the release of the Sinnock designed Franklin half dollar in 1948.
Another controversy surrounding Sinnock's design involves his image of Roosevelt. Soon after the coin's release, it was claimed that Sinnock borrowed his design of Roosevelt from a
With the passage of the Coinage Act of 1965, the composition of the dime changed from 90% silver and 10% copper to a clad "sandwich" of pure copper inner layer between two outer layers of cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) alloy[22] giving a total composition of 91.67% Cu and 8.33% Ni. This composition was selected because it gave similar mass (now 2.268 grams instead of 2.5 grams) and electrical properties (important in vending machines)—and most importantly, because it contained no precious metal.
The Roosevelt dime has been minted every year, beginning in 1946. Through 1955, all three mints,
See also
- 1792 half disme
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?, a popular song of the Great Depression
- five and dime"
- dime store novel
- March of Dimes
- "Stop on a dime"
- United States Mint coin production
References
- ^ Dime. Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, 1989.
- ^ "US Mint Coin FAQ". Usmint.gov. Archived from the original on 2013-06-18. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- ^ ISBN 1-58238-199-2.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions" Archived 2006-08-20 at the Wayback Machine. The United States Mint. Retrieved July 19, 2006.
- ^ coincollectingguide.com Archived 2010-02-03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ a b Draped Bust Dime:Small Eagle Archived 2011-08-10 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ Draped Bust Dime:Heraldic Eagle Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ History of the Capped Bust Dime (1809-1828) Archived 2011-08-10 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ History of the Capped Bust Dime (1828-1837) Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ a b c d History of the Seated Liberty Dime (Variety I) Archived 2011-08-18 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ History of the Seated Liberty Dime (Variety II) Archived 2019-08-05 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ History of the Seated Liberty Dime (Variety III) Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ History of the Seated Liberty Dime (Variety V) Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ a b History of the Barber Dime Archived 2011-07-23 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ a b c History of the Mercury Dime Archived 2011-07-23 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-9
- ^ a b c d Yanchunas, Dom. "The Roosevelt Dime at 60." COINage Magazine, February 2006.
- ^ "Conservatives want Reagan to replace FDR on U.S. dimes" Archived 2009-08-02 at the Wayback Machine. USA Today. Retrieved July 12, 2006.
- ^ a b c NGC History of the Roosevelt Dime Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-2-7
- ^ Churchill On Vacation, 1946/01/21 (1946). Universal Newsreel. 1946. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ "Stalin for Dime". Snopes. Retrieved July 12, 2006.
- ^ Coins: Questions and Answers, 1964 edition, Krause Publications
- ^ "Gometaldetecting.com". Gometaldetecting.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- ISBN 978-0-7948-2494-5
- ^ [1] Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine US Mint
External links
- Official specifications for all U.S. legal tender coins Archived 2009-11-11 at the Wayback Machine