1856 10C Small Date MS64 认证号21272615, PCGS号4609

Mintage: 5,780,000 (Including Large Dates)
Small Date Obverse Dies: 22 Known

During 1856, both Large Date and Small Date dimes were struck. Large Date dimes are rare in Mint State and the recent upward adjustment in Coin World Values pricing is more reflective of their scarcity. Small Date examples are much more common than Large Dates in both circulated and Mint State grades.

Four 1856 Large Date obverse dies and twenty two Small Date obverse dies have been identified to date.

Plate Coin: Small Date, Fortin 103, High Level Date, Evenly Toned Medium Gray and Strictly Original

Gordon Wrubel

You are at a coin convention and you are offered a "raw" Mint State 1856 10C at a favorable price. How can you tell if it is the very common Small Date or the much rarer Large Date? This is an easy call if you look at the 5 in the date. The Small Date variety has a "Slanted" 5, while the Large Date has an "Upright" 5. The Small Date is about 5 times more common than the Large Date. In high grade the Small Date has more than two dozen graded 65 or better (with a lone 67 at the top). At this writing, the Large Date shows only one 66 and one 67 at the top. The next highest graded is MS64.