Family collections or pocket change U.S. dimes and Bicentennial quarters of ultra-rarity have broken the record in auctions because of mint errors, extremely low mintages, doubled dies and MS67+ grades. Although in theory the highest possible values of absolute best specimens were of 250 million, actual sales were made of 1.99 million of dimes and 19,200 of the quarter– jars of no-mint marks, overdates or doubled lettering.
1. 1873-CC Liberty Seated Dime
– Extremely rare car in Carson City only 12,400 minted; lone survivor brought in $1.84M (PCGS AU58).
– Key of branch mints of the civil wars; immensely low population density drives demand.
2. 1894-S Barber Dime
– Mintage below 10 coins; best MS67 coin sold, with a current price of $1.99M; be-all and end-all holy grail U.S. dime.
3. 1916-D Mercury Dime
– Wartime low production 264,000; MS67RD brought $1.44M; Denver key date all bands.
4. 1975 No-S Proof Roosevelt Dime
– Error in missing San Francisco mint mark; none of the 2000 have been found, PR68DCAM $506,250 Heritage record.
5. 1804 Draped Bust Dime (14 Stars)
– One-year type 14 stars; AU58 $822,500; less than 10 survivors of first U.S. Mint.
6. 1942/41 Mercury Overdate Dime
– WWII die clash out; MS66FH $400K+; dramatic doubled date shows under magnification.
7. 1796 Draped Bust Dime (16 Stars)
– Rev on; MS65 $1.3M potential; less than 20 certified high-grade.
8. Silver Bicentennial 8969 quarter, 1976
– Silver business strike 40%; NGC MS69 record $19,200; one of the few still perfect.
9. 1976-D Doubled Die Obverse Bicentennial Quarter (MS66)
– FS-101 mistake, LIBERTY twice; Heritage sale of 8,400; drastic ghosting on fonts.
10. 1976-D Clad Bicentennial on Dime Planchet (PR67)
– Blown out 10-cent blank; Heritage $12000 proof; off-center, lilac toned.
Factors of Rarity and Identification
– Mint Errors: No-S proofs, doubled die (LIBERty shadows), incorrect planchet multiply value 100x+.
– Condition Census: Full strikes/bands MS67-69 will fetch 10-50x better than circulated.
– Bicentennial Details: Two 17761976 dates, drummer boy reverse; silver clad (S-mint) copper-nickel; check to doubling, lost marks.
– Authentication: PCGS/NGC slabs are necessary; raw coins are subject to fakes-10x loupe should be used to check die cracks, off-centers.
Auction Trends and Hot Markets
– Dimes: Pre-1916 branch mints/low-mintage lead: One bad cheque 1975 No-S exploded 300% since 2020.
– Bicentennial Quarters: MS68+ errors/high-grade and high mintage (billions) but MS68+ errors/high-grade sell at high prices. Silver proofs sell above $19K.
Summary Table: Auction Sales of Records
| Coin | Record Sale | Rarity Driver | Mintage/Known |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1873-CC Liberty Seated | $1.84M | 1 known | 12,400 |
| 1894-S Barber | $1.99M | <10 known | ~9 |
| 1916-D Mercury | $1.44M | Low mintage | 264,000 |
| 1975 No-S Roosevelt Proof | $506K | Missing mint mark | 2 |
| 1976-S Silver Bicentennial | $19.2K | MS69 perfection | Millions |
FAQs
Q1: What to do to recognize doubled die Bicentennial?
Shadow/ ghosting on LIBERTY, IN GOD We trust; FS-101 best.
Q2: Value of Bicentennial quarters of common?
Face value except silver/error/high-grade (MS67+ $100+).
Q3: Grading services needed?
Yes, on valuations exceeding 1K PCGS/NGC; raw risks rejection.
