1804 Draped Bust Dime. JR-2. Rarity-5. 14-Star Reverse. AU-58 (PCGS). This lovely 1804 dime was one of a small group of estate silver coins that passed to Louis E. Eliasberg, Jr. instead of to the heir who received the main collection, Richard A. Eliasberg. Accordingly, it was not offered in our 1996 auction of coins from Louis Sr.

This beautiful coin shows only slight wear, has some usual lightness of certain features, and is attractive in all respects. The Heritage cataloger stated, “This is easily the finest existing 1804 JR-2 dime, and it is probably the finest existing 1804 dime of either variety.”

The 1804 dime is today an unheralded rarity. Few would think that an AU-58 was the finest graded by PCGS, and without competition. Its status seems to have been recognized quite well in 1894, however, when Augustus G. Heaton immortalized it as one of the "Thirteen Silver Barons" in his poem about the great rarities in the American silver series.

Certain reverse dies used to coin quarter eagles of this era were also used to strike dimes. These are the only such instances in regular-issue American coins in which two different denominations shared common dies. There was no mark of value or denomination on the die, and the diameters of the quarter eagle and dime were the same, so the interchange was easy to do. In theory a similar interchange could have taken place with certain half dollar and eagle dies of the early 19th century, but no correlations have ever been found.

Description of the 14-star die used here: Reverse with 14 stars, arranged in lines or rows (Breen: “cross pattern”), quite unlike any other die used in the series. No letters in the border inscription touch each other, and all letters are separated from the designs, except I (AMERICA) which touches a leaf. Star 1 has two points embedded in the eagle’s wing. Four berries in branch, with the center outside berry merged with a leaf tip. Lowest outside left arrow point is below the center of the left base of N. This die was first used to strike quarter eagles, then in a later state to strike dimes, as here.

Provenance: From S.H. Chapman’s sale of the David S. Wilson Collection, March 1907, lot 694; Clapp Collection; Eliasberg Collection; Louis E. Eliasberg, Jr. from a small group of estate coins; Heritage FUN Sale, January 2007, lot 861; Ed Price; Heritage ANA Sale, July 2008, lot 1443.

Rarities Auction Accompanying the D. Brent Pogue Collection

Stack’s Bowers Galleries will be hosting an exclusive Rarities Auction, held in conjunction with The D. Brent Pogue Collection. We will be accepting limited consignments of United States and world coins and paper money, featured in a spectacular catalog reserved for the rarest of the rare. Special terms will apply. If you are interested in participating in this unique opportunity, please call 949-748-4849 or email us at [email protected].

Alternatively, you can fill out our online consignment form. Click here to view the form.