Draped Bust Large Eagle Dime (1798-1807)
Mint Mark Information

The Draped Bust Dime was introduced in 1796. The obverse was based on the likeness of Ann Willing Bingham, a prominent figure in Philadelphia social circles.

The reverse of the Draped Bust Dime initially featured a scrawny eagle that was sharply criticized for its weakness. In 1798, the Mint switched over to a stronger, large eagle reverse, modeled after the Great Seal of the United States.

The reverse of most 1798/97 overdate dimes were struck using leftover workable dies from the 1797 gold $2.50 quarter eagle having 16 stars. Since the diameter of the quarter eagle was less than .008” larger than the dime, substitution was possible. A much smaller quantity of the overdate dimes were produced from a new die with 13 stars, making the 1798/97 dime with 13 star reverse one of the prime key date Draped Bust Dimes.

Draped Bust Large Eagle Dimes were last issued in 1807. That year, the Mint hired German immigrant John Reich as Assistant Engraver. Reich eventually developed the Capped Bust motif to replace Draped Bust coinage.

Draped Bust Dime
Obverse

Draped Bust Dime Large Eagle
Reverse

The Draped Bust Dime, regardless if it has a small or large eagle reverse, does not carry a Mint Mark, as the table below summarizes:

In the early years of the Philadelphia Mint, no coins were produced with a Mint Mark. That's because Philly was the only US Mint, so there could be no mistake of place of origin. It wasn't until 1838 that US branch mints were established, which did indeed apply Mint Marks. The "P" Mint Mark was first used during World War II, 150 years after the Philadelphia Mint opened.

The superb images at right of the Draped Bust Dime with Large Eagle reverse were provided by Goldberg Coins of Beverly Hills, CA.

Ask any experienced collector about the Draped Bust Dime, and you'll find out it's really cool to own one. They're very rare and historically significant, no matter if we're talking small eagle or large eagle reverse.

If you've got $500 or more to upgrade your collection, take a close look at the Draped Bust Dime. There are a few key dates in the Large Eagle series that have trended higher at a faster pace than the rest of the group. They are: 1798/97 with 13 stars, already mentioned above, and any variety from 1804. Draped Bust Dime Small Eagle reverse recommendations are found here.

There are three eBay search boxes below. eBay has hundreds of thousands of coins for sale at any moment, so if its a rare date Draped Bust Dime you're after, eBay is a good place to start. The first box is coded to locate 1798/97 13 stars examples currently for sale that have been certified by PCGS, NGC, ICG, or ANACS. The second box does the same for the 1804. The third box pulls up all similarly certified Draped Bust Large Eagle Dimes.

1798/97 Draped Bust Dime

1804 Draped Bust Dime

1798-1807 Draped Bust Dimes