1801 10C MS(PCGS#4471)

November 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

2045

Grade

AU50

Price

22,200

Lot Description

Elusive in all grades, the 1801 dime is seldom offered in finer circulated or any Mint State grades, and irrespective of die pairing. That offered here, from the JR-1 dies, retains bold to sharp detail in most areas. Typical softness of strike in a product of the early U.S. Mint is mostly confined to a few features in and around the centers, as well as along the right obverse border, and even in these areas it is of minimal concern. A base of pewter gray patina blankets both sides with enhancing blushes of more vivid olive, powder blue and reddish-russet that are bolder and more varied on the reverse.<p>Mint records report a mintage of 34,640 dimes for calendar year 1801. Given the scarcity of survivors of this date, it seems likely that many of the coins included were from 1800-dated dies. Two die marriages were used to produce the 1801-dated dimes, and they share the same obverse. In the earlier JR-1 marriage, represented here, this die exhibits a spine from the top of Liberty's hair that nearly touches the left foot of the letter E in LIBERTY. This spine was removed by die polishing before the JR-2 variety was coined, although in both marriages the obverse die exhibits considerable roughness from pitting that is most extensive in the upper left and lower right fields.<p>The two reverse dies are easiest to distinguish by the size of the letter As in the legend. On the reverse of JR-1, the As are wide. This die is further identified by the presence of a spine from the upper right corner of the shield. Like the obverse, this reverse is also extensively pitted with considerable evidence of die rust throughout.<p>The extant population of the 1801 dime is on the order of just 200 to 250 coins (per Winston Zack, Louis Scuderi and Michael Sherrill in the 2015 reference <em>Bust Dime Variety Attribution Guide</em>). The two varieties are of roughly equal scarcity with the vast majority of survivors in low grades through VF. About Uncirculated coins such as this are scarce and, given the rarity of Mint State pieces, the present example would certainly be a significant addition to an advanced type or variety set.