1874 Arrows Proof

Philadelphia struck 700 proof dimes in 1874, the second and final year of the Arrows transitional sub-type that marked the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873 weight increase from 2.49 to 2.50 grams. The 1874 proof completes the two-year arrows pairing alongside the 1873 With Arrows proof, after which arrows were removed and the series returned to its standard Legend No Motto, no-arrows form for the remainder of the run through 1891. The matching business strike ran 2,939,000 pieces, a comfortable Philadelphia production figure that reflected the steady volume coming back online as Specie Resumption neared. The proof carries the Legend obverse with "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" replacing Gobrecht's original stars, the wreath reverse unchanged, and the small horizontal arrows flanking the date that signal the new weight standard. Weight held at 2.50 grams on a 90 percent silver, 17.9-millimeter reeded planchet.

Strike on the date reads as standard polished-die work: deeply mirrored fields, complete denticles around both sides, sharp drapery and hair detail on Liberty, and full wreath leaves on the reverse. Cameo and Deep Cameo PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC, the Numismatic Guaranty Company, designations exist for the date in modest numbers, with strong-contrast pieces drawing premiums proportional to the visual difference between mirrored fields and frosted devices. Authentication starts with the arrows being unambiguously present and clearly struck; weak strikes can leave them soft. The 2.50-gram weight separates the 1874 With Arrows from the pre-Act 2.49-gram standard, and from the no-arrows 1872 issue. Structural diagnostics follow the medal-press signature: squared rims perpendicular to the field, watery die-polish lines visible under a 10x loupe (a jeweler's magnifier), and complete strike on the devices.

The 700 figure puts 1874 at the lower-middle of the early Legend Arrows-era proof range, and the surviving certified population is meaningfully below the original delivery owing to set breakup over the following 150 years. PR-63 through PR-65 examples dominate the certified roster, with PR-66 and PR-67 surfaces appearing in smaller numbers. The 1874 proof is required for any Seated proof set by sub-type and pairs naturally with the 1873 With Arrows as the two-year arrows transitional set. The Regular rarity badge on this page follows site convention for all proof entries. For the broader story of Gobrecht's design, the 1873 Coinage Act, and the series' proof program, see the Seated Liberty Dime series history.