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

1891-S

Small S

Medium S


Mintage: 3,196,116

Top 100	Var#	Obv	Rev	DR	Obverse / Reverse Quick Diagnostics	Ahwash	Greer
	101	1	A	0R	Medium Date, Upward Slope, Open 9 / Medium S, [mm C,H,TR6]	A-1
	101a	1	A.2	0R	Medium Date, Upward Slope, Open 9 / Polished Die, Med S, [mm C,H,TR6]
	102	2	B	0B1	Med Date, Strong Up Slope, / Doubled Die Rev #1 Small S, [mm Lt,H]
	103	2.2	C	0B1	LDS, Medium Date, Strong Upward Slope, Closed 9 / Medium S, [mm C,H]	A-2
	104	2.2	D	0B1	LDS, Medium Date, Strong Up Slope, Closed 9 / Medium S, [mm Lt,H]
*	105	3	E	0C	Medium Date, Sl. Downward Slope, Open 9 / Medium S Over Small S	A-5	G101
*	105a	3.2	E.2	0C	LDS, Medium Date, Sl. Downward Slope / LDS, Medium S Over Small S	A-5	G101
	106	4	F	-1R	High Date, Down Slope, Open 9, Weak Base / Weak Medium S, [mm Lt,H]
	107	5	G	0R	Med Level Date, Open 9 / Medium S, [mm Lt,H], DC Lower Right Wreath
	108	6	H	0L	Med Date, Down Slope / Doubled Die Reverse #2, Medium S, [mm Lt,H]
	109	7	I	0C	Med Date, Sl. Down Slope / Medium S, [mm Lt,H], Weak Upper Wreath
	110	8	J	0B1	Medium Date Sl. Upward Slope Closed 9 / Medium S, [mm Lt,H]
	111	9	K	0R	High Level Date, Closed 9, Broken 1 / Small Block S, [mm Lt,H]
	112	9	L	0R	High Level Date, Closed 9, Broken 1 / Small Block S, [mm C,C]	A-3
	113	10	K	-1B0	High Date, Sl. Downward Slope, Closed 9 / Small Block S, [mm Lt,H]	A-4
	114	11	M	0C	Medium Level Date, Open 9 / Small Filled Block S, [mm Lt,C]
	115	12	B	-1B0	Med Level Date, Closed 9 / Doubled Die Rev #1, Sm Block S, [mm Lt,H]
	116	13	C.2	-1C	High Level Date, Die Lines Throughout Liberty / Medium S, [mm C,H]
	117	10	N	-1B0	High Date, Sl. Downward Slope, Closed 9 / Medium S, [mm C,H,TR4]
	118	4	K	-1R	High Date, Down Slope, Open 9, Weak Base / Small Block S, [mm Lt,H]
	119	12	I.2	-1B0	Med Level Date, Closed 9 / LDS, Med S, Weak Upper Wreath, [mm Lt,H]


Variety Vs. Denticle Ruler Cross Reference Table

Reverse Die and Mintmark Position Comparison Guide

Scarcity: A common date in all circulated grades and a slightly better date in Mint State.  The Medium S mintmark 
appears more often than the Small S mintmark.
 
Updated Greer Rarity Ratings
Small S Rarity: G-VG R1, F-VF R2, EF-AU R3, MS R4+
Medium S Rarity: G-VG R1, F-VF R2, EF-AU R2+, MS R4
Overall Rarity: G-VG R1, F-VF R1, EF-AU R2-, MS R4- 

                                Fortin Variety Rarity Estimates In VF - Mint State

Variety	Rarity	Suggested Premiums	Variety	Rarity	Suggested Premiums
101	R3	-	110	R2	-
101a	R3	-	111	R2	-
102	R3	20-40%	112	R3	-
103	R2	-	113	R3	-
104	R2	-	114	R3	-
105	R4	50-100%	115	R3	20-40%
105a	R5	50-100%	116	R3	-
106	R4	-	117	R3	-
107	R2	-	118	R3	-
108	R3	20-40%	119	R3	-
109	R3	-

Comments: Overall obverse weakness is common on both Small Block S and Medium S dimes.  Denticles are weakly defined 
on many examples.  Several obverse dies exhibit a broken right foot on the first 1 digit of the date.  This is consistent 
with dimes from Philadelphia and New Orleans.  Reverse die weakness in the denticles is evident on most specimens.  
Several varieties come with weak or polished reverse dies.  Important 1891-S varieties are associated with the reverse 
dies.  The Medium S over Small S and two doubled die reverses are easily attributed and pursued by variety collectors. 
It is expected that additional obverse and reverse die pairings will be identified in the future.
  
                               Value As A Date (Coin World Trends/CoinValues

Grade	1963	1973	1983	1993	2003	2012
G	1.25	2.75	4.25	4.5	20	20
F	3	5.5	7.35	8	30	30
EF	-	17	30	29	40	50
MS60	17.5	100	325	155	200	175
MS63	-	-	-	500	400	350

1891-S Date Gallery

Back to Date and Mintmark Table