1873 Seated Liberty Dime

The story of the 1873

Philadelphia ramped up hard in 1873: 1,508,000 coins, about 25 times the 1873 run. The next year it made 2.4 million (1873).

1873-CC came to 12,400 and 1873-CC came to 18,791 and 1873 came to 60,000 and 1873-S came to 455,000 and 1873 came to 2.4 million, so neither mint's 1873 coin is much scarcer than the other. In the whole series, its mintage sits closest to the 1852 (1,535,500) and the 1857-O (1,540,000).

Philadelphia struck the Seated Liberty Dime in 59 issues between 1837 and 1891. By mintage this one lands in the scarcer half, while the key for that mint is the 1867 (6,000). Within the 1870s it's 16th smallest of 29, between the 1871 (906,750) and the 1878 (1.7 million).

It also marks a change of metal: 1873 is the first year of the Seated Liberty Dime in 90% silver, 10% copper, which lasted until 1891.

Arrows again and the lost 1873-CC (1873 to 1874)

The Coinage Act of February 12, 1873 raised the dime slightly from 2.49 to 2.50 grams to fit a metric standard. Arrows went back beside the date on the new coins of 1873 and 1874. The same act ended the half dime, the three-cent silver piece, the two-cent piece and the standard silver dollar. Before the change, Philadelphia struck 1,508,000 dimes without arrows with a Close 3 in the date. Mint officials complained that the 3 looked too much like an 8, so new date punches with an Open 3 were made and 60,000 more were struck before the arrows arrived.

Carson City struck 12,400 dimes without arrows early in 1873. After the new law took effect nearly all were melted and only one is known today. The arrows coins that followed include 2,377,700 from Philadelphia, 455,000 from San Francisco and 18,791 from Carson City. In 1874 Philadelphia struck 2,939,300, San Francisco 240,000 and Carson City only 10,817. The 1873-CC and 1874-CC arrows dimes are among the hardest CC dimes to find.

To sort an 1873 dime, check for arrows first. Without arrows, look at the 3. On a Close 3 the knobs nearly touch, while on an Open 3 they stand well apart. Arrows dimes of both years are popular type coins, since they are a separate two-year design. The Philadelphia coins are the easy ones in circulated grades.

Elsewhere in US coinage in 1873

The Coinage Act of 1873 ended the two-cent piece, the three-cent silver, the half dime and the standard silver dollar. It also created the trade dollar for commerce in Asia. Arrows were added beside the date of dimes, quarters and halves to mark a small weight change. Critics later called the act the "Crime of '73" for dropping the silver dollar.