1856-S Seated Liberty Dime

The story of the 1856-S

This was the first time San Francisco made the Seated Liberty Dime for circulation: 70,000 coins. After that, San Francisco didn't make another until 1858.

The other mints made far more that year: 1856 alone came to 5.8 million, roughly 83 for every 1856-S. If you're checking a pile of 1856 coins, the S is the one to look for. In the whole series, its mintage sits closest to the 1844 (72,500) and the 1858-S (60,000).

Across San Francisco's 29 Seated Liberty Dime issues, the hardest to find is the 1885-S with 43,690 made. The 1856-S is on the scarcer side of the middle. Within the 1850s it's 3rd smallest of 23, between the 1859-S (60,000) and the 1853 (95,000).

More on the 1856-S

The 1856-S is the first dime of the San Francisco Mint, which opened in 1854 to coin California gold. Only 70,000 dimes were struck and none at all the following year. The coins went straight into circulation in the West, where few people saved them.

That makes the 1856-S a key date and a significant rarity in every grade. Most survivors are well worn. Check the reverse for the S mint mark near the bow of the wreath and make sure it is genuine, not added to a common Philadelphia coin. The obverse has stars and no arrows. Then judge the grade by LIBERTY on the shield. A problem-free example is a prize for any Seated dime collection. Philadelphia and New Orleans together struck 6,960,000 dimes in 1856, so the S coin made up only about one percent of the year's dimes. The next San Francisco dimes, dated 1858, numbered just 60,000.

Arrows removed and San Francisco begins (1856 to 1859)

The arrows came off the dies in 1856, but the lighter 2.49 gram weight stayed. Philadelphia struck 5,780,000 dimes that year, in Large Date and Small Date versions. It added 5,580,000 in 1857. New Orleans kept a steady pace with 1,180,000 and 1,540,000. Demand was boosted by the Act of February 21, 1857, which ended the legal tender status of Spanish and Mexican silver. The old reales and half reales had served as small change for decades and American dimes now had to take their place. The same law ended the large copper cent and the half cent.

The San Francisco Mint struck its first dimes in 1856, only 70,000 pieces. It made none in 1857, then 60,000 in 1858 and 60,000 again in 1859. All three S dates are keys, because the coins circulated hard in the gold country and few were saved. Philadelphia output also fell sharply, to 1,540,000 in 1858 and just 430,000 in 1859. New Orleans struck 290,000 and 480,000 in those two years.

Proof mintages reached 800 in 1859, far more than in earlier years, as collecting grew. When you find a dime of 1856 to 1859, check the reverse near the bow of the wreath for an S mint mark. A worn S coin is worth far more than a well preserved Philadelphia piece of the same year.

Elsewhere in US coinage in 1856

The Mint made pattern Flying Eagle cents dated 1856 to test a smaller copper-nickel cent. They were given to members of Congress and collectors, which helped launch coin collecting in the United States.