1868-S Liberty Seated Dime. Fortin-101a. Rarity-6. MS-65 (PCGS).

Mottled russet and steel-gray peripheral toning gives way to nearly brilliant centers on both sides of this handsome Gem. Iridescent undertones of olive, powder blue and reddish-rose are also seen, mostly on the obverse. Satiny, smooth and sharply struck, this is an outstanding example. The 1868-S is far scarcer than its identically dated Philadelphia Mint counterpart in all grades, and not only because of a lower mintage of 260,000 vs. 464,000 coins. San Francisco Mint coinage continued to circulate freely on the West Coast during the early Reconstruction era, whereas Philadelphia Mint coins were kept from entering commercial channels until the following decade. The present example avoided heavy wear and loss through circulation and exhibits solid Gem Uncirculated quality and strong eye appeal. There is only a single die marriage known for the 1868-S dime, although the rare Fortin-101a die state offered here exhibits strike doubling on the ribbon at the base of the wreath on the reverse. This attribution carries a strong premium among specialists, 100-200% of the values for Fortin-101, per the website seateddimevarieties.com.

PCGS# 4648. NGC ID: 239X.

PCGS Population: 2; 3 finer (all MS-66).