Liberty Seated Dimes Varieties 1837-1891 - 1887 San Francisco Variety Chapter Page

1887-S


Mintage: 4,454,450

Top 100	Var#	Obv	Rev	DR	Obverse / Reverse Quick Diagnostics	Ahwash	Greer
	101	1	A	0B1	High Level Date, Partial (S)TATES / Medium S, [mm Lt,C,TR4]	A-1
	102	2	B	-1B0	Repunched 7, High Date, Downward Slope, / Medium S, [mm Lt,H,TR3]	A-2
	102a	2.2	B.2	-1B0	Repunched 7, LDS, Weak Date / Medium S, Die Cracks
	103	3	C	0B1	High Level Date, Partial S / Med S, [mm Lt,H], Doubling Right Wreath	A-3
*	104	4	D	0R	High Date, Down Slope / Med S/S Showing in Top Loop, [mm Lt,C,TR6]	A-4	G102
	105	5	E	1L	High Date, Down Slope / Med S/S Showing in Both Loops, [mm C,H,TR7]		G101
	106	6	F	0L	Repunched 1, High Level Date / Medium S, [mm Lt,H], DCr Left Wreath
	106a	6.2	F.2	0L	LDS, High Level Date/Shattered Die, Partial Cud at 8:00-9:00
*	107	7	G	0C	High Level Date, Shield Weakness / Shattered Rev, Medium S, [mm Lt,C]
	108	8	H	0R	High Level Date, Prooflike, Weak Base Above 887 / Medium S, [mm Lt,C]
	108a	8	H.2	0R	High Level Date / Medium S, Polished Reverse, [mm Lt,C]
	109	9	F	-1B0	High Date, Sl Down Slope, / Medium S, [mm Lt,H], DCr Left Wreath
	110	10	I	-1R	High Date, Sl Down Slope / Medium S, [mm Lt,H,TR4], DCr at 11:30
	111	11	I	0R	High Level Date, DL in Shield / Medium S, [mm Lt,H,TR4], DCr at 11:30
	111a	11	I.2	0R	High Level Date, DL in Shield / Medium S, Shattered Reverse
	112	12	J	0L	High Level Date / Medium S, [mm Lt,L]
	113	13	K	1C	High Level Date / Medium S, [mm C,H,TR6], Irregular DI(M)E
	114	14	L	0C	Doubled UNITED, High Level Date / Medium S, [mm C,H,TR6]
	115	14	M	0C	Doubled UNITED, High Level Date / Med S, [mm Lt,H], Die Cracks
	116	15	N	0L	Misplaced 8, High Level Date/Med S, [mm Lt,H,TL5], Minor Die Doubling
	117	16	O	-1B0	High Date, Sl Down Slope / Medium S, [mm Rt,H], Repunched Mintmark
	118	17	P	-1B0	High Date, Down Slope / Medium S, Repunched Mintmark, [mm Rt,H,TR5]
	119	18	Q	0R	MPD 1 in Shield, High Date, Sl. Down Slope / Medium S, [mm Lt,H,TR4]
	120	19	R	0R	Die Scr Above Shield, High Date, Sl. Down Slope / Med S, [mm C,L,TR2]
	121	8	L.2	0R	High Level Date, Weak Base at 887 / Worn Die, Medium S, [mm C,H,TR6]


Variety Vs. Denticle Ruler Cross Reference Table

Reverse Die and Mintmark Position Comparison Guide

Scarcity: A common date in all grades including Mint State.

Updated Greer Rarity Ratings
Overall Rarity: G-VG R1, F-VF R1, EF-AU R3-, MS R4-   

                                Fortin Variety Rarity Estimates In VF - Mint State

Variety	Rarity	Suggested Premiums	Variety	Rarity	Suggested Premiums
101	R3	-	111	R3	-
102	R3	-	111a	R6	200-400%
102a	R4	-	112	R3	-
103	R3	-	113	R3	-
104	R4	30-50%	114	R4	30-50%
105	R4	30-50%	115	R5	50-100%
106	R4	30-50%	116	R3	-
106a	R5+	50-100%	117	R4	-
107	R6	200-400%	118	R3	-
108	R4	-	119	R4+	-
108a	R5	-	120	R4	-
109	R3	-	121	R4	-
110	R3	-

Comments: For 1887 San Francisco dimes, attributing obverse dies can be a difficult task for several reasons.  First 
there are only minor differences in the date position due to the size of the digits in the date.  Secondly, I have 
seen very few obverse dies with die cracks or die defects.  With a high mintage of 4,454,450 pieces, numerous dies
are to be expected.  Therefore the condition of the top loop of the first S in STATES will also be used as a 
diagnostic aid.  The top loop of the first S in STATES is problematic on many With Legend Seated dimes, however the 
analysis of this artifact on a die by die basis has been beyond the scope of this book.  For 1887-S dime however, I 
must focus on this obverse element since little else is available for diagnostics.  For reverse dies, both the position 
and tilt of the Medium S mintmark will also play an important role in reverse die identification.  Interestingly, the 
reverse dies appear more often with die cracks, therefore simplifying reverse die attribution.
 
A single Medium S punch was used for this year.  The mintmark comes with opened and filled loops.  Several varieties 
will show a horizontal file line or defect in the lower loop.  In the past, this defect has been mistaken for a repunched 
S over S mintmark.  Valid S over S mintmarks have been identified as Varieties 104, 105 and potentially 107.
 
                               Value As A Date (Coin World Trends/CoinValues

Grade	1963	1973	1983	1993	2003	2012
G	1.5	2.25	3.75	4	20	15
F	3.5	4.5	7	8.25	30	25
EF	-	12.5	27	23.5	40	40
MS60	15	100	205	130	200	150
MS63	-	-	-	330	400	350

1887-S Date Gallery

Back to Date and Mintmark Table