1838-O 10C N1 Certification #48828985, PCGS #4564

Charles Morgan

The 1838-O Liberty Seated Dime

The 1838-O Liberty Seated Dime (#4564) was the first coin struck at the New Orleans Mint, one of three branch mints that Congress established with the passing of the Coinage Act of March 3, 1835.

Built on land donated to the federal government by the City of New Orleans, the New Orleans Mint was designed by architect William Strickland in the Greek Revival style he helped popularize. Construction began in September 1835 and finished in 1838, costing $182,000 for the building plus $118,000 for site improvements. Rufus Tyler was appointed Chief Coiner upon opening, causing friction among local employees who bristled at taking orders from a "northerner" — a reflection of the era's regional tensions.

The New Orleans Mint struck its first coinage on May 8, 1838: an initial run of 30 presentation pieces of the 1838-O Liberty Seated Dime. Plagued by worn Philadelphia equipment and summer yellow fever shutdowns, regular production was delayed until late autumn, ultimately reaching an accepted total mintage of 406,034 pieces.

The 1838-O dime features Christian Gobrecht's original "No Stars" layout, displaying a seated Lady Liberty with only the date in the exergue.

Collecting the 1838-O Liberty Seated Dime

The Philadelphia Mint did New Orleans no favors by shipping it second-hand eqipment. This, and a general lack of attention to detail, often resulted in flat strikes. Softness routinely affects Liberty's face, shield, and feet, while sharply defined rim denticles remain rare.

Die Varieties

Numismatist Gerry Fortin identifies two distinct die varieties for the 1838-O Liberty Seated Dime:

• Fortin 101 (#537653)
  • Obverse: Features a "medium level" date placement and rim die cuds at the 2 and 4 o'clock positions (which advance to 8 and 9 o'clock on the F-101a sub-variety).
  • Reverse: Displays an upright, repunched "O" mintmark applied at the Philadelphia Mint prior to dispatch on April 9, 1838.
  • Historical Context: Philadelphia shipped these outdated "No Stars" dies even though its engraving department had already created the updated 13-star obverse design.
• Fortin 102 (#537645)
  • Obverse: Shares the same "medium level" date placement as the F-101, but completely lacks die cuds on the rim.
  • Reverse: Features a single, non-repunched ("normal") mintmark without any doubling. Alignment: The mintmark appears slightly canted (tilted) to the right, whereas the F-101 mintmark is oriented vertically upright. 

Vintage Market Snippets

In a survey of Liberty Seated Collectors Club members published in the March 2008 issue of The Gobrecht Journal, the 1838-O Liberty Seated Dime ranked tenth among the "Ten Greatest New Orleans Seated Coins."

SS Central America Recovery

The 2014 salvage of the SS Central America shipwreck yielded 40 PCGS-graded 1838-O dimes ranging from PCGS FR-02 to PCGS XF-40. Featuring both F-101 and F-102 varieties, these recovered coins offer a clear snapshot of how extensively early branch-mint coinage circulated across the United States within 20 years of its release.

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