1796 Draped Bust Dime. JR-1. Rarity-3. MS-63 (PCGS). CAC.Champagne iridescence on both sides of this beautiful example is accented by vibrant bronze and sapphire at the reverse borders. The fields are smooth and faintly prooflike, subtly contrasting with more satiny devices. Struck from a late state of the JR-1 dies, the design elements are haloed by a patchwork of clash marks that are most prominent on the obverse. Similarly, the lower points of star 1 have been consumed by a cud that stretches outward from the rim, and several of Libertys hair curls have been exiled from lapping. The overall definition remains pleasing, with unusually sharp delineation to the eagles head and breast feathers for the variety.As the inaugural issue of both the design type and the denomination, the 1796 Draped Bust dime is a highly sought issue. As is the case with numerous first year issues U.S. coinage history, many 1796 dimes were saved as mementos and, as such, Mint State survivors are among the most available in the Draped Bust series. Even so, demand for examples for type, date and variety purposes is high and premium quality examples like this Choice beauty rarely remain on the open market for long.
