United States • 10 U.S. cents
Draped Bust Heraldic Eagle dimes are regular United States ten-cent coins dated 1798, 1800–1805 and 1807. They share the early nominal silver reference that the reference reports as 2.7 g gross, .892 fineness and .0774 fine troy ounce. The larger eagle with shield identifies this reverse family. A broad 1798–1807 label does not mean a coin exists for every intervening year.
When a fresh spot bid is available, melt values use fine-metal content × spot bid. CashForCoins guide buying offers use the separately configured percentage for each metal. Selected rare/numismatic coins require an appraisal. Dollar amounts remain unavailable when a fresh quote or buying percentage is missing.
Actual source-reviewed issue years for this exact denomination, design and metal/weight scope. Overdates, mint combinations and proof availability remain type-specific; specimen photos and measurements do not certify other examples.
Formula: specified fine-metal troy ounces × quantity. Dollar melt value additionally requires an approved current metal price.
A right-facing Liberty portrait carries the Draped Bust design, with the date below. Read the complete date before identifying an overdate or selecting a dated comparison. The portrait resembles the earlier Small Eagle dime and other early U.S. silver denominations, so the obverse by itself is insufficient. Use the reverse, scale, edge and full coin outline together.
The reverse presents a heraldic eagle with a shield, a scroll and stars above. Its layout differs from the small eagle enclosed in a wreath on 1796–1797 dimes. The same broad heraldic motif appears on other denominations, which require different specifications. Compare the actual coin with a reference explicitly identified as a dime rather than inferring its value from the eagle.
The Heraldic Eagle design follows the two-year Small Eagle dime and precedes the Capped Bust dime first dated 1809. This is a design transition within the ten-cent denomination, separate from later changes to the dime's legal silver ratio and weight. Face dates and manufacturing dates can differ: the reference discusses 1800-dated dimes as likely delivered during 1801. The annual list here describes engraved issue dates.
Match a regular date in the stated scope, right-facing Draped Bust Liberty and the shielded heraldic eagle. These issues belong to Philadelphia and do not carry a branch mint letter. The reference’s exact 1800 entry supplies the approximately 19 mm diameter and reeded edge reference. Confirm that the item is a dime before assigning its silver quantity; replicas and other denominations do not inherit this reference.
The preserved the reference 1800 reference is .0774 fine troy ounce per matching dime. Three coins at that reference total .2322 fine troy ounce and 8.1 nominal gross grams. Multiplying the separate displayed inputs 2.7 g and .892 gives 2.4084 nominal fine grams; this does not justify changing the published ounce precision. A nominal calculation describes a reference standard rather than the measured metal of a worn specimen or the price a collector will pay.
Actual issue years are 1798, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805 and 1807. The annual sequence contains no regular dime dated 1799 or 1806, and no 1808 dime bridges the change to Capped Bust. The reference recognizes 1798/7 overdates with different reverse star counts, 1804 reverse-star varieties, and four- or five-berry distinctions for 1805. An overdate contributes its upper engraved year once; it does not create a separate year in the annual list. Specialist die attribution remains distinct from family identification.
Consider date, die attribution, surfaces and condition before treating an early dime as bullion. A specialist may distinguish a die variety from damage or ordinary wear. Preserve certificates and holder information, and photograph visible scratches, bends, corrosion or mounting traces honestly. No rarity label, market price or numeric condition grade can be established from a generic illustration.
Inspect the date, portrait, reverse arrangement, lettering, star layout, rim and edge with measurements of the real specimen. Similar silver color and a plausible scale weight are screening observations, not proof of authenticity. A valuable or uncertain coin should be examined directly by an experienced numismatist or grading service. Avoid acid testing, scratching or altering the surface to investigate the metal.
Separate Heraldic Eagle dimes from Small Eagle and Capped Bust dimes when preparing a collection description. List each engraved date and any reliable certified die attribution. Keep both faces visible in photographs and include certification or provenance through the CashForCoins appraisal process. A nominal silver figure can describe the reference metal quantity; an actual offer also requires identification and assessment of the real coins.
The reference’s exact 1800 dime record provides the 2.7 g gross, .892 fineness, .0774 oz ASW, diameter, mint and edge reference. The reference’s annual early-dime entries establish the dated scope and major cataloged varieties. The 1792 coinage law supplies the original gross and fine grain quantities and silver/copper ratio, which are recorded as historical context without replacing the reference’s published precision. The current designated U.S. melt table has no Heraldic Eagle dime row. Date lists refer to faces, and copied valuation tables are not used.
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United States • .892 silver fineness as displayed by the reference; original statutory copper-alloy ratio is recorded separately
Issue years: 1796–1797
Fine silver: 0.077400 troy oz
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