1856-O

New Orleans struck 1,180,000 dimes in 1856, the first New Orleans dime issued after the brief Arrows-at-Date subtype ended. The Coinage Act of February 21, 1853 weight reduction to 2.49 grams remained in effect, but the dies returned to the clean date format that had governed New Orleans production through 1852. This is a single-date-punch issue at the branch mint, with no Small Date or Large Date distinction analogous to the Philadelphia coinage, so attribution comes down simply to confirming the New Orleans origin via the O mintmark beneath the wreath bow on the reverse. The coin sits in the Stars With Drapery design family in its post-Arrows form, which is the standard look that would continue at New Orleans through 1860 before the mint passed out of Federal hands at the start of the Civil War.

Strike on the 1856-O runs uneven in the typical New Orleans pattern of the period. Liberty's head and the upper-left stars frequently show softness, the shield's vertical lines can present with weak transfer on later die states, and the reverse wreath bow often lacks full leaf detail. The O mintmark itself, though always positioned consistently beneath the bow, varies considerably in completeness of impression, and partial or filled mintmarks turn up regularly. Authentication is straightforward: clean date with no arrow flanks, a clearly formed O mintmark beneath the wreath bow, and the 2.49 gram post-Act weight. Counterfeit pressure is low, though removed-mintmark fakes from common 1856 Philadelphia coins remain a possibility on raw material, which keeps the typical preference for certified examples in place.

Collecting interest sits primarily with date specialists working a New Orleans run rather than type collectors, who almost always select the more common and better-struck Philadelphia 1856 for representative purposes. Circulated examples from Very Good through Extremely Fine are widely available and priced modestly, About Uncirculated coins require some patience but no heavy budget, and Mint State pieces are condition-scarce, especially with full strike detail on the head and stars. Choice strikes in gem grades are genuinely difficult and trade at meaningful premiums over typical Mint State survivors. For the broader story of Gobrecht's design, the 1853 Coinage Act and Arrows transition, and the series' production arc, see the Seated Liberty Dime series history.