This glorious Gem ranks high in the Condition Census for both the issue as a whole and the underrated Large Date <em>Guide Book</em> variety. Drenched in billowy satin luster, the surfaces are enhanced by delicate golden-apricot toning highlights. The strike is generally full and well above average for a circulation strike Liberty Seated dime from the late 1850s. Lovely.As a date the Philadelphia Mints circulation strike dime of 1856 is one of the more easily obtained in the Stars Obverse portion of the Liberty Seated series. This makes it a popular choice for type collectors in both circulated and Mint State grades. The Large Date variety, however, is far more elusive than its Small Date counterpart and, while still relatively obtainable in lower grades, becomes scarce to rare above VF. Mint State coins are certainly in the latter category and, in fact, Q. David Bowers (2016) describes the 1856 Large Date as "extremely rare" at this level and "one of the key Philadelphia Mint issues of the series." Among the very finest known, our offering of this premium Gem represents what could very well be the final opportunity to acquire a stellar quality 1856 Large Date dime for quite some time. For we suspect that once this coin is acquired by another advanced Liberty Seated enthusiast it will remain among the highlights of that collection for years to come.Liberty Seated dime specialist Gerry Fortin has identified four die marriages and one die state for this issue. Fortin-105, represented here, exhibits the remnants of an errant 6 at the drapery-rock junction above the primary digits 56 in the date.,,PCGS# 4610. NGC ID: 238T.,PCGS Population: 1; with a single MS-67 finer.,From Heritages sale of the Bob Simpson Collection of Seated Dimes, September 2010, lot 3649; Heritages sale of the Eugene H. Gardner Collection, Part II, October 2014, lot 98256.
