1881 10C Legend PCGS MS63 Toner

1881 10C Legend PCGS MS63 —A lovely and original toned Seated Liberty dime that encapsulates the rarity and allure of 19th-century American coinage. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this dime boasts a low mintage figure of merely 24,000 pieces, marking 1881 as a standout year for collectors seeking a combination of scarcity and beauty.

Despite its higher mintage, the 1881 dime is more challenging to locate than the 1879, making it a highly coveted piece in all grades. A fact borne out by recent auction prices realized, where XF and AU examples can be found selling for over $600 in the last few years. 

This scarcity becomes particularly pronounced in Mint State grades, and only 51 examples are known to grade higher than the present piece.

According to researcher Gerry Fortin, all 1881 business strike dimes were produced using a pair of dies that had previously been employed to strike proof coins, adding to the allure of an already challenging date.