Liberty Seated Dimes Varieties 1837-1891 - 1849 New Orleans Variety Chapter Page

1849-O

Small O

Large O


Mintage: 300,000

Top 100	Var#	Obv	Rev	DR	Obverse / Reverse Quick Diagnostics	Ahwash	Greer
	101	1	A	0R	Medium Level Date / Large O, Oblique Punch, [mm Rt,H]
	101a	1	Aa	0R	Medium Level Date / Large O, Reverse Rotated Left 52 Degrees
	101b	1	A.2	0R	Medium Level Date / Large O, Oblique Punch, Shattered Reverse	A-1
	102	1	B.2	0R	Med Level Date / Small O, Lapped Die, [mm C,H], No Spurs on AME(RI)CA		G101
	103	2	B	0B1	Bold High Level Date / Small O, Spurs on AME(RI)CA, Reverse Rotated Right 10 Degrees
	103a	2.2	B	1L	Lapped Die, Weak High Level Date / Small O, Spurs on AME(RI)CA	A-4
	103b	2.2	Ba	1L	Weak High Level Date / Small O, Reverse Rotated Left 85 Degrees	A-2
	103c	2.3	B	1L	Rusted Die, Weak High Level Date / Small O, Spurs on AME(RI)CA		G102
*	104	3	B	0L	Repunched 184, High Level Date / Small O, Die Crack Rim To AMERI(C)A	A-3	G103
	104a	3	Bb	0L	Repunched 184 / Small O, Reverse Rotated Left 48 Degrees
	104b	3.2	B.2	0C	Lapped Die, Repunched 184 Removed / Lapped Die, No Spurs on AME(RI)CA


Scarcity: In lower circulated grades through VF, the 1849-O dime is available with some searching.  In EF or better, 
this date becomes very difficult to locate.  Mint State specimens are available but at a significant premium to 
later New Orleans Mint State dimes from 1850 through 1852.  Large O examples are nearly always weakly struck.  Finding 
a fully struck Large O dime will be very challenging and could take many years.  Small O Varieties 102 and 104 are the 
most likely to be found well struck.
 
Updated Greer Rarity Ratings
Small O Rarity: G-VG R2+, F-VF R3+, EF-AU R5, MS R7
Large O Rarity: G-VG R2+, F-VF R3+, EF-AU R5, MS R7
Overall Rarity: G-VG R2, F-VF R3, EF-AU R4+, MS R6+ 

Fortin Variety Rarity Estimates In VF - Mint State

Variety	Rarity	Suggested Premiums	Variety	Rarity	Suggested Premiums
101	R4	-	103b	R5	100-200%
101a	R6	300-500%	103c	R4	-
101b	R4	-	104	R4	30-50%
102	R4	-	104a	R5	100-200%
103	R5	50-100%	104b	R4	-
103a	R4	-


Comments: Three obverse dies and a Small and Large O set of reverse dies produced the 1849-O mintage.  Both reverse 
dies appear to be unique to coinage in 1849 and are not leftover dies from earlier years.  Strike weakness is common 
on 1849-O dimes with die lapping being a possible explanation for a portion of the Small O population.  Well struck
examples of the repunched 184 variety are the highlight of this date.  This date also presents three different 
die marriages each resulting in significantly rotated reverse dies. 
  
Value As A Date (Coin World Trends/CoinValues)

Grade	1963	1973	1983	1993	2003	2010
G	5	7.5	10.5	7.75	20	25
F	10	15	55	42.5	50	50
EF	-	37.5	260	195	300	375
MS60	-	-	-	2750	2500	2750
MS63	-	-	-	5750	6000	9500

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