| Deep gray surfaces with blue, amber, and iridescent toning. Both obverse and reverse have minor abrasions consistent with the grade. An attractive example with some peripheral weakness as nearly always seen. This is an extremely important opportunity for the early dime specialist. Mint records indicate that just 8,265 dimes were produced in 1804, however, it is generally believed that some of the 1805 mintage were also dated 1804. Perhaps only about 100 examples of this date are known in all grades. Two die varieties are known for the 1804 dime coinage, with distinctly different reverse dies having either 13 stars or 14 stars. Both dies were also used for the quarter eagle series. This 14 star variety is slightly rarer than the other variety among early dimes. This is the second use of the obverse die after 1804 JR-1 and the second use of the reverse die after 1804 Breen-1 quarter eagles. The obverse has light cracks from the right border through stars 10 and 13, each reaching Liberty's profile. Another crack from the border progresses a short distance between stars 8 and 9. A prominent die chip is located just below Liberty's chin. From Stack’s sale of the James A. Stack, Sr. Collection, January 1990, Lot 14. |
