1809

The 1809 dime is the first Capped Bust issue, launching John Reich's redesign on the denomination after two years of refinement on the half dollar. Reich had taken the Assistant Engraver post in 1807 and gradually carried his softer Liberty, with her Phrygian cap and ribbon, across the silver lineup. The dime arrived last among the early Reich silver pieces, with a single delivery of 44,710 coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint. That total is the lowest of the entire 1809-1837 series, and it lands well below the multi-hundred-thousand mintages that became routine within a few years. The reverse pairs a heraldic eagle with the denomination spelled "10 C." Specs reflect the original 1792 Mint Act silver standard at .8924 fine, 2.7 grams, with an 18.8mm diameter that the Mint would trim to 18.5mm in 1828 when close-collar striking took over.

Collectors call this issue a Key Date because the small mintage and rough survival rate keep it scarce in every grade. Only one die marriage is known, listed as JR-1 in the John Reich Collectors Society reference, so every genuine 1809 dime shares the same obverse and reverse pairing. Authentication starts at the scale: a real coin weighs 2.7 grams within tight tolerance, and most cast counterfeits fall light and show grainy fields under 10x magnification. The JR-1 obverse also has a specific date layout, with the 9 leaning slightly right and tight spacing between digits, that altered-date fakes built from cheaper 1820s dimes cannot replicate. Because the 44,710 mintage makes this the headline rarity of the early series, it ranks among the most counterfeited Capped Bust dimes, and a third-party grader (TPG) holder from PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) or NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) carries real weight here.

Survival across all grades runs roughly 250 to 400 pieces in PCGS estimates, and most fall between About Good and Fine after a generation or two in circulation. Extremely Fine and About Uncirculated coins exist but turn up rarely at auction. Mint State (MS) examples are the genuine prize, with fewer than twenty graded MS60 or finer between the major TPGs, and any coin above MS63 commands strong six-figure attention when offered. For the wider design context, debut year, and the move to small-diameter striking later in the run, see the Capped Bust Dime series history.