Rim Weirdness On 1797 Draped Bust Dimes (Not My Coins)

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 522
Adam590 Pillar of the Community United States 668 Posts	Posted 01/04/2025 1:19 pm Hello Forum--I love old dimes. And while these are way above my budget, I am curious about something I noticed on two PCGS graded MS 1797 dimes. I have attached several photos of 1 (16 stars variety, not that it matters) in an MS(61) holder, which I shared in a post a while back. No one talked about the rim around 9 o'clock on the obverse (I didn't either). The PCGS true view picture shows something is missing, the picture of the same coin I found on a Coinweek article makes it look worse, and a picture of the slab on David Lawrence's sight makes it look better, as plastic covers the missing part. I also found this 13 stars variety with a much worse strike in an MS(64) holder that also seems to have something missing around 8 o'clock. Are these rim bumps? Or incomplete planchets? I understand market appeal is subjective, but how do they affect the overall appeal of these coins? Edited by Adam590 01/05/2025 12:27 am Report this Post to the Staff

adam126402 Pillar of the Community United States 501 Posts	Posted 01/05/2025 01:56 am If I had the money and the interest, the rim issues (if PMD) on these dimes would be of little concern. They are fabulous. A 220 year old tiny piece of silver (2.7g) without a defect is a near impossibility. The defects here are absolutely tiny. Just my amateur opinion. Report this Post to the Staff
Root River Mint New Member United States 37 Posts	Posted 01/05/2025 09:12 am Those pictures are taken of coins that are in slabs. What you see is a well cropped picture that still shows the three bits of plastic that hold the coin in position. Report this Post to the Staff
Zurie Pillar of the Community United States 5256 Posts	Posted 01/05/2025 09:30 am I assume you're talking about that little rim defect at 9:00 in the first coin, and at 8:00 in the second coin. They look like small rim bumps or dents to me. Report this Post to the Staff
Adam590 Pillar of the Community United States 668 Posts	Posted 01/05/2025 4:11 pm Thanks so much, everyone, for your opinions so far. @Root River Mint, I see the plastic bits from the PCGS slabs holding the coins in position, but the rim damage I am asking about is seperate. The 16 star one, in a PCGS MS(61) slab, which all the pictures are of except for one, seems to have a bit missing around 9 o'clock on the obverse. It seems the newer slab, which bears the D. L. Hansen name on the slab, actually hides the dinged/missing portion of the rim behind one of those three plastic bits. The older slab, from an older auction photo, reveals it. I have seen both of these coins' written descriptions on auction sights, and am wondering why they don't even mention the rim issues. The auction descriptions obviously aim to "sell" the coins, but they often do concede or acknowledge the coin's biggest flaws (hairlines, muted luster, etc). The fact that auction houses don't even acknowledge these rim issues makes me especially curious what is going on with both of these (amazing) coins. Report this Post to the Staff
jacrispies Pillar of the Community United States 3657 Posts	Posted 01/06/2025 12:54 pm Interesting observation. I believe in both circumstances that the rim issues are PMD. Additionally, keep in mind, these coins are already small. So a small rim issue on a small coin would be minor compared to the same % damage on a half dollar or dollar coin. From what I've handled in early dimes, these small rim issues are more than within tolerance for a straight grade. In fact, PCGS is extremely generous with early dimes and Half Dimes. Suffering from bust half fever. Want to learn how to attribute early half dollars by die variety? Click Here: http://goccf.com/t/434955 Shoot me a PM if you are looking to sell bust halves. Report this Post to the Staff
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