Rare 1902 Dime Errors (List & Pictures)
An off-center 1902 dime graded ANACS AU50 sold for $561.20 in June 2026. Estimated whole-coin values for 1902 dime errors span $20–$1,200.
Inspect the date and mintmark, then compare the rim, surface metal, and overall strike. A standard Barber dime weighs 2.50 grams, measures 17.9 millimeters, and contains 90% silver.
| Inspection area | Feature | Estimated whole-coin range |
|---|---|---|
| Date and lower border | Misplaced and repunched date | $30–$600 |
| O or S below wreath | Reported repunched mintmark | $50–$500 |
| Raised lines or rim patch | Reported die cracks and cuds | $20–$600 |
| Peeling on both faces | Reported 1902-S lamination | $100–$750 |
| Complete design, expanded edge | Broadstrike | $200–$650 |
| Missing design, plain margin | Off-center strike | $250–$1,200 |
1. 1902 Dime Extra numbers beside and below the date: misplaced and repunched date Error
Philadelphia MPD-001 has a misplaced 0 top below the normal 0, accompanied by repeated detail above the 2. MPD-002 also has a misplaced 0 but does not list that extra 2 feature.
A separate New Orleans example has extra tops of 0 and 2 below and left of their normal positions. Misplaced fragments sit outside the intended date, while repunching leaves remnants close beside a normal digit.
How to Identify
Check the mintmark before comparing the date: O identifies New Orleans, while no mintmark indicates Philadelphia. Keep the complete date and lower border visible.
For Philadelphia MPD-001, find both the misplaced 0 and the repeated outline above 2. The 0 alone does not distinguish it from MPD-002.
For New Orleans, compare both extra number tops in their lower-left positions. Raised numeral curves should be distinguished from damaged border teeth and flat shelf-like doubling.
What It’s Worth
Worn through lower-grade unworn examples have an estimated whole-coin range of $30–$600, with Philadelphia and New Orleans assessed separately. The combined features do not create two complete prices.
An older Philadelphia MPD-001 guide ranged from $20 in VF to $180 in MS63. These historical guide figures are estimates, not auction results.
A cleaned ANACS AU Details example, adjusted to Net XF45, sold for about $53 in 2024. Its condition problem is part of the comparison and should remain attached to that figure.
2. 1902 Dime A second shape beside O or S: repunched mintmark reports Error
The mintmark below the wreath bow was punched into the die. Repeating that step in a different position could leave part of an earlier letter beside the final mark.
The supplied 1902 report names no confirmed die or direction for this category. An actual specimen therefore needs a stronger match than a generic doubled-looking O or S.
How to Identify
Follow any added curve or stroke around the main mintmark under changing light. It should preserve a recognizable part of another letter rather than an isolated blob.
A damaged opening or a nearby scratch is not sufficient evidence. Keep the date and complete reverse visible while choosing a confirmed same-mint comparison.
Philadelphia has no mintmark, and mentioning O and S as possibilities does not mean one was punched over the other. The claimed extra letter must be read from the actual coin.
What It’s Worth
A properly identified circulated through lightly worn example has an estimated whole-coin range of $50–$500. This assumes a clear secondary letter and collectible surfaces.
No specific 1902 repunched-mintmark sale or confirmed die is established by the supplied report. An ordinary mintmark damaged after striking should be assessed for its actual condition instead.
3. 1902 Dime A raised line or rim-connected lump: die crack and cud reports Error
A cracked die can leave a thin raised line where metal enters the split. When a piece breaks from the tool’s edge, the larger gap can form a raised rim-connected patch called a cud.
The 1902 error guide discusses the category without identifying a confirmed illustrated variety. No fixed mint, face, or location is established here.
How to Identify
Use light from the side to distinguish a ridge from a scratched groove. A raised line must belong to the struck surface, not simply be the pushed-up side of a cut.
For a claimed cud, trace the raised patch to the rim. An isolated interior lump does not establish this edge-break category.
Inspect nearby edge grooves for crushing or folding caused by a later blow. Record the actual mintmark rather than assigning one from the general report.
What It’s Worth
Minor genuine cracks on circulated coins have an estimated whole-coin range of $20–$100, while clear rim cuds are estimated at $100–$600. These are separate kinds of die damage within one broad category.
No particular 1902 auction result supports either range here. Mint, wear, original surfaces, and the amount of affected design still determine the useful comparison.
4. 1902 Dime Thin layers separating on both faces: reported 1902-S lamination Error
The reported San Francisco specimen has substantial peeling on both faces, without an original grading-service attribution supplied. Lamination means a thin layer separates within the metal.
This silver dime does not have the manufactured outer layers of a later clad coin. The report concerns weakness within the alloy itself.
How to Identify
Find the S below the reverse bow and examine both faces. No exact peeling location is established in the supplied description.
Look for a thin flap or layered opening through the struck surface. Leave attached metal in place so its boundary and the surrounding design remain intact.
Scrapes, corrosion pits, and rough dark patches need different explanations. Check for tool marks and displaced metal before treating a missing area as an original separation.
What It’s Worth
Collectible circulated 1902-S examples with substantial genuine peeling have an estimated whole-coin range of $100–$750. Remaining detail, exposed surfaces, and any attached flap affect the comparison.
The year report describes a $150 offer for the two-sided lamination. It is an asking price, not a completed sale or proof of certification.
5. 1902 Dime More room outside a complete design: broadstrike Error
A broadstrike forms when the collar that normally controls width fails to contain the metal. The coin spreads outward while retaining the full design.
A Philadelphia NGC AU55 appeared in a 2012 Stack’s Bowers catalog, and another AU55 appears in a later sale record. Matching grades do not establish that they are the same specimen.
How to Identify
Trace the complete design on both sides and measure the expanded outline in several directions. Natural spreading should be distinguished from a wide-looking border on a normal-sized coin.
Inspect the edge for formation outside the collar; complete normal reeding is not required. Later hammering may enlarge a dime too, but can crush its design and edge.
Spreading normally redistributes the existing metal rather than removing it. Weight and the condition of the struck surfaces should support the visual explanation.
What It’s Worth
Comparable circulated through lightly worn examples have an estimated whole-coin range of $200–$650. Complete design, expansion, and original surfaces influence value.
Greysheet records an NGC AU55 broadstrike at $252 in December 2020. The 2012 catalog appearance has no sale price supplied here and is not assumed to be that same coin.
A separately reported cleaned broadstrike also needs its own condition comparison. Neither the shared grade nor the broadstrike label erases individual surface problems.
6. 1902 Dime Design runs off one edge: off-center strike Error
An off-center blank receives only part of the intended design, leaving original plain metal elsewhere. This differs from a broadstrike’s complete picture within an expanded outline.
The 2026 auction example was graded ANACS AU50 and housed in a small holder. Its supplied description gives no percentage or direction of displacement.
How to Identify
Compare both faces and follow where each design meets the plain area. Some intended outer detail must be missing rather than merely surrounded by extra space.
Inspect the unstruck metal and remaining edge grooves for original texture. Grinding, later compression, or souvenir rolling can change the outline without being a Mint off-center strike.
Read the date and mint information before selecting a comparison. Do not attach an invented 20% or 50% description to the auctioned coin.
What It’s Worth
Circulated through lightly worn examples with a readable date have an estimated whole-coin range of $250–$1,200. The actual displacement and surface quality affect the result.
The ANACS AU50 sold for $561.20 at Heritage on June 29, 2026. AU50 indicates circulation wear, and the amount belongs to that complete coin.
A larger shift can attract interest, but loss of the date or important detail may weaken the comparison. The supplied sale does not price an unspecified dramatic off-center percentage.
Conclusion
Use the mintmark to select the date-variety comparison, and use the whole outline to separate broadstrikes from off-center strikes. Raised tool damage and thin metal separation require their own surface evidence.
The $252 broadstrike and $561.20 off-center results are completed-sale references. The $150 lamination offer and the general mintmark or cud reports provide different kinds of evidence, so keep those distinctions when assessing a coin.
