90% Silver Dimes & Junk Silver

90% Silver Dimes at BGASC

The US Mint first started issuing coins in 1792, thanks to the Coinage Act of 1792. This act authorized the production and face value of various currencies such as a 10-cent coin, commonly referred to as a dime. The dime was first struck in 1796 and has featured various levels of silver content over the years. Learn more about 90% Silver Dimes, right here at BGASC.

Silver Content of Dimes

The dime debuted in 1796 with a silver content of 89.24%. The other 10.76% was made of copper. The first 2 dime designs, the Draped Bust and Capped Bust were made up of this silver and copper mixture. The introduction of the Seated Liberty design in 1837 came with a major change to dimes, and all other denominations of US silver coins. The Silver content from this point until 1964 was upped to 90%. Every dime from 1837 to 1964 will have .07234 Troy oz of actual silver content.

Seated Liberty Dimes

The Seated Liberty design was used on the dime and other silver coins (half-dime, quarter, and half-dollar) from 1837 to 1891. It was used on the Silver Dollar until 1873. This design was created by Christian Gobrecht, the third Chief Engraver of the US Mint, who served from 1840 to 1844.

• Obverse: Lady Liberty is sitting on a rock, holding a staff with a liberty cap on top of it. Her other hand is holding a shield with the inscription “Liberty” on it. Different variations of this design were used during its tenure on the dime. In 1838, 13 stars surrounding Liberty were added. In mid-1860, this was replaced with the “United States of America.”
• Reverse: The reverse features a much more simple design than the obverse. “One Dime” is inscribed in the center of the design field and is surrounded by a wreath. From 1837 to 1860, “United States of America” was displayed on the reverse as well.

Barber Coinage Dimes

This design is named after Charles E. Barber, the 6th Chief Engraver of the US Mint. This design was used from 1892 to 1916 and is the shortest-used design on the US Dime. Similar to the Seated Liberty design, the Barber Coinage design was used on other coins as well, such as the quarter, and half-dollar. Unlike the Seated Liberty, there were no variations made to the design during its time on the dime.

• Obverse: Right-profile relief image of Lady Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap, and a laurel wreath with a ribbon. The year of issue is displayed at the bottom while the inscription “United States of America” is on the top.
• Reverse: Similar to the Seated Liberty reverse, the inscription “One Dime” is displayed in the center and is surrounded by a laurel wreath.

Mercury/ Winged Liberty Dimes

Interestingly, the Winged Liberty Dime is the last US dime to feature Lady Liberty on the obverse. This design was used for 29 years from 1916 to 1945. The design was created by Adolph A. Weinman, who famously designed the Walking Liberty design that is still used today on the American Silver Eagle.

• Obverse: Left-profile bust of Lady Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap. The cap is similar to that worn by the Roman god Mercury, hence why people oftentimes refer to this coin as a Mercury Dime. Inscriptions read “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” “AW,” and the year of issue.
• Reverse: A Roman fasces is located on the reverse of these coins. The fasces is wrapped in an olive branch. Inscriptions include “E Pluribus Unum,” “One Dime,” and “United States of America.”

Roosevelt Dimes

The last dime to feature 90% silver content is the Roosevelt Dime. While the Roosevelt Dime is still in circulation to this day, it contained 90% silver just from 1946 to 1964. The obverse and reverse were designed by John R. Sinnock. With little time to create a design for this dime, Sinnock was chosen as he had just recently created a presidential medal of Roosevelt.

• Obverse: bust of Franklin D. Roosevelt in left-profile relief. Inscriptions read “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “JS” along with the year of issue.
• Reverse: A torch in the center, flanked by branches of oak and olive. Inscriptions read “United States of America,” “One Dime,” and “E Pluribus Unum.”

Buying 90% Silver Dimes at BGASC

For any questions about these 90% Silver Dimes, contact the BGASC team today at 888-992-4272. Our team can also be reached via email or through our online chat feature as well.