Rare 1877 Dime Errors (List & Pictures)
A number outside the date or a C on the bow can reveal very different 1877 dime errors. Estimated whole-coin values span $20–$9,000, including an exceptional 1877-S repunched-date MS66 that sold for $5,280 in January 2020.
Identify the mint first, then inspect the intended date, nearby misplaced fragments, reverse lettering, and rim.
| Location or appearance | Feature | Estimated whole-coin value |
|---|---|---|
| Earlier curve near the final 7 | 1877/6 overdate | $150–$2,500 |
| Repeated strokes beside normal numerals | Repunched date | $50–$650 ordinary; $4,000–$9,000 exceptional S-mint MS66 |
| Numeral pieces in seat or border teeth | Misplaced date digits | $60–$650 |
| An extra C on the wreath bow | Misplaced mintmark | $100–$750 |
| Extra contours on ONE DIME or wreath | Doubled die reverse | $60–$600 regular; $400–$2,000 Proof |
| Opposite-side outlines intrude | Clashed dies | $30–$250 |
| Raised paths or small internal patches | Die cracks and small breaks | $20–$200 |
| A raised upper-left reverse rim patch | Rim cud | $150–$850 |
| A small missing edge section | Rim clip | $60–$350 |
1. 1877 Dime A tiny older curve survives near the last 7: 1877/6 Overdate Error
The Carson City overdate is described with the upper curve and end of a 6 near the top bar of the final 7. The newer numeral partly covers the earlier date entered into the die.
This differs from repeating the same numeral or placing a digit somewhere outside the date. The small remnant and its supporting details must match the specific CC variety.
How to Identify
Confirm CC below the reverse bow, then compare the last 7 with the published overdate photographs. Look for the tiny upper curve and end attributed to the old 6.
Supporting marks include a shield line below LIBE and extra punch traces at the feet of 1. They need to agree together, particularly when wear weakens the old numeral.
The Type II reverse is a normal design version and helps select the comparison without being an error itself. A random bump on another mint’s 7 does not establish this overdate.
What It’s Worth
The estimate is $150–$2,500 for correctly attributed worn through lower-grade unworn whole coins. It is an appraisal range rather than a quoted sale of the discovery specimen.
The $216 Carson City misplaced-digit sale discussed below concerns another feature. It provides same-year variety context without fixing the overdate’s price.
2. 1877 Dime Earlier strokes border the normal numerals: Repunched Date Error
Philadelphia reports include extra 7 outlines, Carson City examples have patterns involving 1, 18, or 77, and San Francisco F-101 repeats 18. These are separate date-punch arrangements.
The punch entered the die more than once, retaining parts of an earlier position. Those pieces resemble the same numeral, unlike the different underlying 6 in the overdate.
How to Identify
Read CC, S, or no mintmark beneath the wreath bow before selecting the date reference. For San Francisco F-101, examine both 1 and 8 instead of accepting a mark beside 7.
Trace the remnants into recognizable numeral parts under a 10× magnifier. A flat shelf or scratch can produce an extra-looking edge without representing an earlier punch position.
General specifications for an accessible 90% silver dime are 2.50 grams and 17.9 millimeters, with a grooved edge. Measurements help with basic examination but cannot replace the date-pattern match.
What It’s Worth
Ordinary worn through lightly worn repunched dates have an estimated $50–$650 range. Exceptional San Francisco MS66 examples are estimated separately at $4,000–$9,000.
Greysheet lists $5,280 for the PCGS MS66 1877-S F-101 at Heritage in January 2020. Its exceptional unworn condition contributes strongly to the whole-coin result.
The retail guide’s $7,500 MS66 and $9,000 MS66 with CAC figures are guide values. They are not additional completed auctions.
3. 1877 Dime A numeral fragment sits in the seat or border teeth: Misplaced Date Digits Error
A punch placed too high or too low can leave a date fragment outside the intended numeral row. Philadelphia reports include an extra 1 in the seat base and fragments among the denticles, the small rim teeth.
Carson City examples include an 8 or 7 among those teeth and other base marks. Each location needs its own attribution rather than one generic misplaced-date image.
How to Identify
Keep the normal date, lower denticles, and Liberty’s base in view while searching outside the four intended numerals. The extra fragment should be recognizable in the position shown for that mint’s variety.
For Carson City F-113, compare the 8 among the teeth and confirm CC below the bow. An ordinary tooth or curved scratch should not become a numeral merely by changing the lighting.
What It’s Worth
The estimate is $60–$650 for comparable worn through lightly worn whole coins. A readable fragment and sound adjacent metal help support comparison.
GreatCollections records $216 for PCGS XF40 F-113 in February 2024. That result belongs to the CC 8-in-denticles example with clear circulation wear.
4. 1877 Dime An extra C interrupts the wreath bow: Misplaced C Mintmark Error
The regular CC belongs below the bow, but this Carson City reverse also carries another C on the bow itself. A misplaced mint-letter punch left the extra curve in the die.
The reverse was paired with more than one obverse. Differences in minor front-side details do not automatically rule out the same bow-letter reverse.
How to Identify
Compare the bow with a normal 1877-CC while retaining the ordinary CC below it in the same photograph. Look for a raised C shape interrupting the expected ribbon form.
A normal ribbon loop, random crack, scratch, or attached material can mislead. Match the extra letter’s exact position rather than counting every curved mark as another C.
What It’s Worth
The estimated whole-coin range is $100–$750 for clear worn through lightly worn examples. No documented sale of this bow-letter variety sets that range here.
The $216 Carson City misplaced-digit transaction offers nearby punch-error context. A numeral near the date does not directly price a misplaced mintmark on the reverse.
5. 1877 Dime ONE DIME or wreath detail carries extra contours: Doubled Die Reverse Error
Philadelphia records describe doubled reverse letters and wreath elements, including examples on collector Proofs. Carson City reports include doubling in ONE DIME.
The repeated design existed in the die before coins were struck. Normal Type I and Type II reverse designs, however, are distinct intended versions and are not errors in themselves.
How to Identify
Inspect letter ends and corners while changing the light. A matching raised contour stays part of the design, unlike a reflection or a flat shelf that reduces a letter’s edge.
For the appropriate Philadelphia pairing, check any listed wreath doubling too. Keep regular strikes, Proofs, mint, and normal reverse type aligned with their own references.
What It’s Worth
Estimated ranges are $60–$600 for ordinary worn through lightly worn regular coins and $400–$2,000 for collectible Proofs. The Proof estimate includes the value of its special manufacture.
A regular doubled reverse graded ANACS AU58 sold for $149 in March 2024, but the auction gives no detailed variety match. Its slight wear and general designation cannot price every reported reverse pattern.
6. 1877 Dime Unexpected outlines resemble the opposite side: Clashed Dies Error
Specialist records show clashes on Philadelphia and Carson City dimes. The exact traces vary with the dies involved.
When the tools meet without a blank, they can pick up parts of one another’s designs. Later coins receive those unwanted shapes through normal striking.
How to Identify
Compare equally sized photographs of both faces in the orientation in which the dies would meet. A recognizable shape in an impossible location cannot establish that clash.
Inspect the actual mark under magnification for a coherent fragment rather than scratches or stains. Check nearby traces against the same pairing instead of forcing unrelated lines into agreement.
What It’s Worth
The estimated whole-coin range is $30–$250 for ordinary worn examples with recognizable clashes. Strong transferred shapes are more useful than isolated faint lines.
The same coin may carry a date variety or crack. Assess those features together without adding multiple complete-coin estimates.
7. 1877 Dime Ridges or small patches rise through the design: Die Cracks and Small Breaks Error
Philadelphia reports include cracks through the date and curved routes around the wreath. Carson City records also describe a jagged reverse line.
Metal entering a fracture in the die leaves a raised ridge, while a small internal missing piece can create a patch. Neither observation automatically establishes a large rim-connected cud.
How to Identify
Follow the raised route through the normal design under moving side light. A scratch cuts into finished metal, even when a bright edge makes it appear raised.
Use the documented pattern for the correct mint and face. Do not connect separate circulation marks into an imagined crack network.
What It’s Worth
Small cracks on ordinary worn coins have an estimated $20–$200 whole-coin range. No particular crack sale establishes that estimate.
A clear continuous line can add interest, but damaged surfaces may offset its appeal. A faint line may add very little beyond the underlying coin.
8. 1877 Dime A raised patch joins the upper-left reverse rim: Rim Cud Error
The documented Philadelphia Type II F-113 has a rim break around ten to ten-thirty. A missing die fragment allowed metal to replace the normal border and nearby detail.
The Philadelphia gallery identifies the appropriate example. Its F-113 number does not identify the Carson City misplaced-digit variety with the same number.
How to Identify
Confirm no S or CC, hold the reverse upright, and follow the upper-left patch into the rim. An enclosed internal lump lacks the required connection.
Inspect the boundary for solder, corrosion, or metal folded by an impact. The Type II reverse is the normal design context, not an additional error.
What It’s Worth
The estimated whole-coin range is $150–$850 for a collectible worn example with a genuine rim-connected break. No separate sale is established for the Philadelphia F-113 here.
Original metal and a clear boundary make the feature easier to compare. A crushed or altered rim does not qualify merely because it creates a conspicuous lump.
9. 1877 Dime A small missing segment interrupts the rim: Rim Clip Error
The Philadelphia Rippere collection example listed by GreatCollections has a small rim clip and an ANACS XF40 Details grade. The brief record gives neither the condition problem behind Details nor the clip’s direction.
A genuine clip existed in the blank before striking. A later rim nick may look similar but has a different relationship to the finished edge.
How to Identify
Find both endpoints and examine how the rim and reeding approach the gap. Original strike transitions differ from a fresh tool cut through finished grooves.
A tiny loss may be difficult to separate from ordinary wear on a scale. Keep the Details designation visible without inventing its unspecified cause, and assess the edge itself.
What It’s Worth
The estimated range is $60–$350 for a small genuine clip on a worn whole coin. The listed example’s separate condition problem remains relevant.
A 1906 Barber dime with a 12% straight clip sold for $288 in July 2021 at PCGS MS62. Its larger clip, different design, and unworn condition make it comparative evidence rather than a direct 1877 price.
Conclusion
A repeated numeral, a misplaced digit, and a C on the bow record different punch-placement problems. Raised cracks, rim cuds, and clips require their own boundary checks and the correct mint reference.
The $20–$9,000 estimates value complete coins. Exceptional MS66 San Francisco examples account for the highest range, while ordinary worn varieties need comparisons appropriate to their preservation and specific visible feature.
