1870 Proof Dime Pattern - J-835

Coin Details

Auction Record

$10,925 PR67 01-01-2009 Heritage Auctions

Description

Barber's Seated Liberty obverse and the regular issue dime reverse, rendered here in aluminum with a reeded edge. Aluminum's silvery-white appearance actually made it a plausible stand-in for silver in terms of visual similarity, though the dramatic difference in weight would have immediately betrayed the substitution. At approximately one-third the density of silver, an aluminum dime would have weighed roughly 0.8 grams compared to the standard silver dime's 2.49 grams — a perceptible difference that raised serious questions about public acceptance of lightweight coinage.

Rarity Notes

R-7. Approximately 4-12 examples survive.

Cross References

Judd-835, Pollock-926