1820 10C Small 0 MS(PCGS#4493)

June 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

2095

Grade

MS65

Price

9,150

Lot Description

This stunning condition rarity for both the type and die pairing will see spirited bidding among discerning numismatists. It is a lovely Gem adorned with halos of vivid, multicolored peripheral toning that suggest long-term storage in an album. Cobalt blue dominates, but we also note shades of reddish-russet and pinkish-rose. The centers are more or less brilliant, and all areas reveal full, soft, satiny mint luster. Boldly defined from an expertly centered strike and without even trivial distractions.<p>The United States Mint produced 942,587 dimes during calendar year 1820, its most generous output for the denomination up to that point. Given that 1820-dated examples are relatively plentiful (2,500 to 3,750 survivors in all grades, per Winston Zack et al, 2015), it seems likely that most of the coins struck that year were from 1820-dated dies. JR-6 is one of the more frequently encountered die marriages of the issue, although the Wide Border Capped Bust dime as a type is conditionally challenging with even low end Uncirculated coins scarce. This particular variety is also conditionally challenging, and since the PCGS MS-64 that sold as lot 2170 in our March 2021 Auction was cataloged as CC#2, the present Gem in PCGS MS-65 is a CC#1 coin for the 1820 JR-6 dime. The significance of this offering can hardly be overstated.