1796

The 1796 Draped Bust dime is the first dime ever struck by the United States. Although the Coinage Act of 1792 authorized a ten-cent silver piece, the young Philadelphia Mint did not produce any until 1796, four years after the law took effect. Mintage was tiny by any measure, just 22,135 pieces, struck on hand-operated screw presses with planchets cut from sheet silver. The obverse carries 15 stars, reflecting the 15 states in the Union at the time of the design's preparation, including Vermont (1791) and Kentucky (1792). Because circulating change was scarce in the 1790s, these dimes saw heavy use, and most surviving examples show meaningful wear from decades of pocket commerce throughout the early Republic.

Chief Engraver Robert Scot designed the obverse using a portrait based on Gilbert Stuart's painting of Anne Willing Bingham, a prominent Philadelphia society figure who modeled the personification of Liberty. The reverse displays the Small Eagle motif, a delicate bird perched within an open wreath, used only on 1796 and 1797 dimes. Specifications include 89.24% silver alloyed with 10.76% copper, a weight of 2.70 grams, a diameter near 19 mm, and a reeded edge for clipping protection. Because counterfeits and tooled coins exist, authentication starts with weight, edge reeding, and known JR (John Reich) die marriages catalogued in Davis-Logan. Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) holders provide essential protection at this level.

As the first US dime, the 1796 carries enormous historical demand from type collectors, early-dollar specialists, and date collectors alike. Examples in any grade are sought aggressively, and Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers have realized strong six-figure prices for choice mint-state survivors. For context on the design's two-year Small Eagle run and broader production history, see the Draped Bust Dime series history.