1853-O 10C Arrows PCGS号4604

Ron Guth

In 1853, both the Philadelphia and New Orleans Mints were busy cranking out millions of the new With Arrows Dimes to replace the old, heavier weight Dimes that were in circulation at the time.  As a result, the mintage of the 1853-O Dime is nearly triple that of the previous year.  Despite the increased mintage, the 1853-O Dime is a true rarity in Mint State and it is, in fact, the rarest of the six With Arrows Dimes.  Less than a dozen Mint State 1853-O Dimes exist and few are nice.  The best example is the PCGS MS66 from the Eugene Gardner Collection (illustrated above).  This colorful example is two points ahead of its nearest competitor.

Researcher Gerry Fortin has identified eight different die varieties for this year.  All of the varieties are of roughly the same rarity.