Rising Bust Dime Value

Obverse: Features Identifying Mint State Grade: Mint State dimes are without wear to the surface. No areas smoothed from wear defines the grade. Toning is often seen and somewhat diminishes the original bright luster but is not an indication of wear.

Inspect the small hair details just above Liberty's eye to judge no removal of metal is indicated. A complete profile to tops of curls in this area is needed to reach the grade.

Just above and behind her ear are waves of hair that remain with any smoothing or flattening.

The gown at the shoulder is held with a clasp. All high points are inspected for traces of wear. A flattened appearance to the ridges indicates wear.

Reverse: Features Identifying Mint State Grade: Many high points present themselves to first contact on the reverse of a Capped Bust dime. Feather details, lettering, and a shield in the center. All are used to help define the mint state grade.

Along the upper and outer edges of the wing sit high on the coin. These remain rounded and high in profile without any flattening.

Above the eagle's eye undisturbed without traces of smoothing, along with the beak and neck feathers.

Look closely at the condition of the eagle's talons, any flat areas or dullness is indicating possible wear. If wear is present, a similar look of soothing and color to the metal is also found on the high points of feathers in the wings.

Obverse: Features Identifying Extremely Fine Grade: Small areas of flatness are visible across the surface, defining the Extremely Fine grade.

Hair details are first noticed as having areas of blending lines and small areas on top of curls have begun to flatten.

Above Liberty's eye and extending to above her ear are signs of wear. Areas of lost profile are evident; however, these flat spots remain disconnected.

Liberty's gown at the shoulder has lost detail. A clasp is fully visible and flatness on either side is limited to the edges of the material.

Folds in the cap are showing signs of wear, change in texture and flattening. Just above the "LI" is flattened slightly.

Reverse: Features Identifying Extremely Fine Grade: A majority of detail remains on the reverse of an Extremely Fine grade dime.

Wear is evident on just the tops of feather detail in the center of wings.

Along the edges of the wings, small disconnected flat areas are visible. These only remove small areas of metal.

Neck feathers remain bold, only high areas are worn. Contours remain between and defining the eagle's eye and beak.

Obverse: Features Identifying the Fine Grade: Wear has now removed most fine details and leaving major details flattened.

Important to achieve the Fine grade is a full "Liberty" across the ribbon holding the cap.

Further inspection of the ribbon shows the lower edge is separate of the hair. Slight merging with the hair is just beginning to blend with the band in small spots; above the ear and a small area above the forehead. Majority of lower band line is fully defined.

Notice all major hair waves are flattened but no merging with each other. Along Liberty's neck a curl above her ear is visible, also a wave of hair just behind "Y" of Liberty.

Down Liberty's neck is evidence of major elements of hair; curls and waves are flattened but visible.

Reverse: Features Identifying the Fine Grade: A bold eagle remains in Fine grade.

Many outer feathers along the edge of the wings are smooth but leaving the majority of inner feathers defined. Clear feather detail remains close the edges of the shield.

Neck feathers are smooth and blending near the head with some detail of feathers showing just above the shield.

Arrow points are now flat from wear with no detail of a center ridge.

Talons are mostly distinct and separate although very flattened.

Obverse: Features Identifying the Good Grade: With the majority of design worn smooth a Bust dime is now in the Good grade range.

Liberty is well outlined and fully bold from the field. A few hair details often remain in the area under the ear.

Many letters of "Liberty" because of their depth are visible lending a distinction to the coin.

A separation of the upper band and cap is visible.

Stars are flattened and in areas sometimes touching the rim; majority of stars are clear.

Reverse: Features Identifying the Good Grade: All major parts of the design are flat and heavily worn; defining the Good grade.

A complete outline of the eagle is well raised from the field. A few details in protected areas remain; notably, feathers near the shield and above the olive leaves.

Arrow points are distinct and free of merging with the rim.

Letters of the legend are well defined with weakness near the rim. Minor blending with the rim, if any, is limited to the tops of letters only.

A pleasing example is the 1833 pictured. A soft tan-grey toning evenly covers lightly worn surfaces. Wear has not removed the aesthetics of the finer detail and the toning helps highlight remaining design. An interesting coin to view and study, notice the fine lines within all of the stars, indicating a well struck coin. Also, the toning matches obverse to reverse, a special find.

Silver, over time does darken and eventually become very deep grey to charcoal in color. Humid conditions deepen and accelerate the process and soon, toning "hides" many of the collectible qualities of even moderately worn examples. Storing your coin in a non humid area effectively ends the problem of overly dark coin surfaces. One point to follow is never - clean any of your coins. Removal or "improvement" of a coin's toning is the number one cause of lowering value. An "original" coin, no matter the appearance, is at the very least considered by collectors. A cleaned coin, any coin, is quickly passed by.

Dime Values | Covering the Many Series of US Dimes

Discover how much your old dimes are worth. Bust, Seated Liberty, to Barber, Mercury, and the Roosevelt Dime series. Images identify the series and link to in-depth coverage of date, variety and judging condition. Accurately determine where on the value chart to value your dime.