1858

The 1858 Philadelphia dime was struck in 1,540,000 pieces, a meaningful step down from the 5,580,000 produced in 1857 and a return to a more typical Philadelphia output level for the period. The Coinage Act of February 21, 1853 weight standard of 2.49 grams remained in effect, the dies carried no arrow flanks, and the design continued in the post-Arrows Stars With Drapery format that would govern Philadelphia dime production through the 1860 transition to the Legend obverse. The year stands two coins ahead of one of the more significant structural shifts in the Seated dime: in 1860 the stars surrounding Liberty would be replaced by the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on the obverse, a change unique to the dime and half dime among Seated denominations.

Strike on the 1858 generally runs sharper than the 1857 because Philadelphia worked at a less pressured pace with the reduced mintage. Liberty's head, the shield lines, and the wreath leaves typically come up well defined on Mint State pieces, with the usual softness on the upper-left stars and the wreath bow on later die states. Some die marriages show modest clash marks across the obverse fields that surface most clearly on prooflike or near-prooflike examples, and these die-state observations carry interest among specialists. Authentication is straightforward: confirm the absence of arrow flanks at the date, no mintmark, and the 2.49 gram weight. Counterfeit pressure on this date is minimal, since prices in all but the highest grades remain modest and certified inventory is widely available.

Collecting demand for the 1858 sits with type collectors building a post-Arrows Stars With Drapery example and date specialists working a continuous Seated dime run. Circulated examples from Very Good through Extremely Fine are inexpensive and widely available, About Uncirculated coins are plentiful, and Mint State pieces are reasonably available through MS-63 before stepping up in price at MS-64 and finer. Gems in MS-65 are condition-scarce and reward a patient search through certified inventory, since the 1858 was not heavily set aside at issue and surviving high-grade pieces typically came through commercial channels rather than contemporary saver activity. 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.