Designed by: Christian Gobrecht
Issue Dates: 1837 (Philadelphia) 1838-0 (New Orleans)
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Diameter: 17.9 mm
Weight: 2.67 grams (41.20 grains)
Edge: Reeded
Business Strike Mintage: 1,088,534
Proof Mintage: Fewer than 50 pieces

The first Liberty Seated dime variety is without obverse stars and closely parallels the half dime of the same era. Indeed, the mintage was accomplished similarly: pieces were struck only at the Philadelphia Mint in 1837 and only at the New Orleans Mint in 1838. Some 682,500 were struck at the former facility and 408,034 at the latter. The device consists of Miss Liberty seated on a rock, holding in her left hand a liberty cap on a pole, and holding a shield with her right. The date is below. The reverse displays an open wreath enclosing ONE DIME, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounding. As attractive as this cameo-like motif is to collectors today, Mint officials did not consider it to be desirable, and it was discontinued shortly thereafter.

The type set enthusiast will find that examples of either issue are readily available in grades from Good through Very Fine or so, with the 1838-0 being a bit more expensive. Extremely Fine and AU coins are also encountered with regularity, less so for 1838-0. Uncirculated pieces, when found, are nearly always dated 1837. Those dated 1838-0 are great rarities. Superb Uncirculated coins are quite elusive.

Further Reading

In 1837 the Liberty Seated design without stars on the obverse made its appearance. The inspiration was provided by Christian Gobrecht's beautiful pattern dollar of the preceding year, 1836. Coins of this style were struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1837 and the New Orleans Mint in 1838 (1838-O), a situation paralleling that of dimes. Of the 1837 No-Stars issue, 682,500 were struck, while 406,034 were made of the 1838-O. In worn grade 1837 seems to be more plentiful than the relatively small difference mintage would suggest. In Uncirculated preservation 1838-O is a great rarity, whereas the 1837 exists to the extent of at least several hundred specimens.

As is the case with so many coins in American numismatics, when it comes to Uncirculated examples still in existence today, mintage figures are not particularly relevant. It may be that the novelty of the Liberty Seated design caused more 1837s to be saved as the first year of issue. The design without stars is one of the most beautiful in the dime series, and my personal view is that it is a shame it was not continued for a longer period. Today the issue is a favorite with numismatists. Our firm has handled a number of presentation Proof examples of 1837 half dimes and dimes of this style, one dime of which was sold to Norman Stack long ago for inclusion in his spectacular type set of American coins.

Don Taxay has written that the first 1838-O dimes were produced on May 7th and 8th of that year and consisted of 30 pieces which were distributed as souvenirs, ten going into the cornerstone of the New American Theatre in New Orleans. He further notes that 367,434 were struck in June and July 1838 and 121,600 additional 1838-O dimes were made in January 1839, suggesting a total mintage far in excess of the 406,034 Guide Book figure.