1807

The 1807 Draped Bust dime is the final year of the design and carries the highest mintage of the entire series at 165,000 pieces. No dimes were struck in 1806, and no dimes were struck in 1808 either, making 1807 the bookend year before a multi-year hiatus. The Capped Bust dime, designed by John Reich and featuring a redesigned Liberty bust wearing a soft cap paired with a refined Heraldic Eagle reverse, debuted in 1809 and replaced the Draped Bust design entirely. The 1807 saw production focused on a smaller number of dies than earlier years, and many examples in circulated grades exist today thanks to its comparatively healthier output level overall.

Robert Scot's draped Liberty obverse, based on Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Anne Willing Bingham, pairs with the Heraldic Eagle reverse adopted in 1798 and continued through this final year. Specifications follow the series standard: 89.24% silver, 2.70 grams, near 19 mm diameter, and reeded edge. Authentication begins with verified weight and uniform edge reeding to rule out cast counterfeits. Examine the denticles around both rims for filing or tooling that could mask repairs. Match the coin to the John Reich (JR) die marriage references in Davis-Logan, which catalog the specific die pairings used during 1807 production. Adjustment marks on overweight planchets are common and acceptable production artifacts not considered post-mint damage by certifiers.

As the highest-mintage and most accessible Draped Bust dime, the 1807 serves type collectors well as a representative example of the design, and date collectors building complete series sets need it as a closer. Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers handle most significant offerings, and Professional Coin Grading Service or Numismatic Guaranty Company certification is standard above Fine grades. For more on the transition to the Capped Bust dime, see the Draped Bust Dime series history.