The United States has issued ten-cent coins since the 1790s; its first design that is still readily available to collectors (although in fact somewhat rare and higher-priced) is the draped bust dime, using a design similar to the other coins of the time. In 1809, the capped bust dime was introduced, and this coin lasted until 1837.
In 1837 the U.S. again redesigned its ten-cent coins, resulting in the seated Liberty dime, which like its predecessors was made of silver. The seated Liberty dime would prove durable, being in circulation for several decades. In 1892, Charles Barber finally designed a new dime, known to numismatists as the Barber dime; it would circulate until 1916.
The year of 1916 saw the dime get yet another new design; it showed Liberty wearing a cap with wings on it. This was mistaken for the Roman god Mercury, and the coin is known universally, if misleadingly, now as the Mercury dime. The Franklin Roosevelt dime, which was introduced to the public in 1946, was like all dimes made of silver, but in 1965 silver was phased out in favor of copper and nickel. Despite a brief campaign to replace Roosevelt with an image of Ronald Reagan in 2003, the United States populace still sees new Roosevelt dimes each year.
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There have been countless rare and collectible and otherwise interesting dimes in American coinage history, and the for sale listings are full of great coins from all eras and of all types from many, many different vendors. These listings may appeal to a wide range of buyers, whether you are looking for super-rare dimes, are trying to complete a series of a certain type of dime, or anything in between.
