1796 Draped Bust Dime

VF Details, Corroded/Harshly Cleaned

Value, maybe $2000-2500 if the cleaning is really harsh, a bit more if not so bad. I could be wrong though. That's just based on heritage.

I am looking for a coin just like this for my dimes set...but theyre hard to find at a decent price.

First off -

I'd venture F-12 or F-15 add in the cleaning, making the coin net out at high VG money on a purchase, high end for reasons I'll state below.

The obverse has full F-15 detail, while the reverse is a solid F-12, add in the harsh cleaning - the cut on the rim, and the couple of what look like newer scratches (long & narrow ones). I'd still be happy to own this coin in a set, a super tough to find type coin today in any grade above very good. XF and up examples seldom show up and when they do they almost always set a new high price.

Now on to setting a value for this coin, Heritage only shows 13 total sold in their archives, a couple of them tooled, whizzed, cleaned, and plugged with other surface issues, sold 5 years ago for $2K and up.

They sold a VF & XF in 1995 (15 years ago) for over $2K each. They haven't sold a single one since 2007 in any grade I can find. Teletrade shows 0 ever sold by them in my limited search. So making a value guess? I'd say a lot more than most price guides show, PCGS says $5400 in F-12, anywhere between $3400 and $6400, I'd hold out, put the coin out in the market, via word or dealer consignment, the money will find you, there are way more people wanting this coin than coins available.

A really, really tough coin. and because of that I don't have a lot of experience with them, most I've seen in much higher grades, I've only seen them and looked at them at auctions or ANA classes, never even owned one. So I'm basing my comments on how I would treat any really tough to find coin that I might have an opportunity to purchase myself.

I'd also insist the purchase on this coin to be final only after the coin is authenticated by a top tier TPG. There are too many China BS fakes out there, and some guys can age a coin to look this good. I'm definitely NOT saying there looks to be anything wrong with your coin, just the way the world is now I'm afraid, can't trust people as much.

Thanks for a great post on a coin most of us will never get to see in person!

I got it back from NGC today. I was thinking about consigning it to Heritage with some other 18th century coins.

Thanks for the update and good luck! Your coin has a lot of meat on it for Fine Details and the Heritage images don't do it any favors. I would hope to see it bring close to $3k.

Hello,

My guess is that this coin should be at a plus/minus F-12 primarily because of the obverse rim above the TY and the previously referred to cleaning.

Is that a crevice or or just surface dirt next to the S of STATES on the reverse?

IMO,
mdpmedia