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Message:: [QUOTE="johnmilton, post: 4355739, member: 101855"]In 1807 Jon Reich was hired as a designer and die maker at the mint. One of his assignments was to re-design every coin that was then in circulation. Reich's designs, which were the same for every silver coin, featured a capped bust of Liberty on the obverse and a modified heraldic eagle on the reverse. Reich's critics claimed that it was modeled after "his fat mistress." At first Reich's priorities centered upon the half dollar, quarter eagle and half eagle in 1807 and 1808. He did not get around to re-designing the dime until 1809. The issuance of dimes was sporadic until the 1820s when the coins were produced on a fairly regular basis. The "Wide Border" type of Capped Bust Dime was issued from 1809 to 1828. [ATTACH=full]1101765[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1101766[/ATTACH] The Capped Bust dime is divided into two subtypes. The Wide Border variety (1809 - 1828) has dentiles around the rim of the coin and the diameter tends to vary because the coins were struck with an open collar. The reeding around the edge was added in a separate operation. The later pieces (1828 - 1837) has beaded borders and uniform diameters. These dimes were stuck with a close collar which imparted the reeding at the time that it was struck. The "Close Collar" Dime Type was issued from 1828 to 1837. [ATTACH=full]1101767[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1101768[/ATTACH] In 1836 Christian Gobrecht was hired at the mint. One of his first assignments would be to develop new designs for U.S. gold and silver coinage. Gobrecht would soon place his mark upon the dime and every other United States coin. Stay tuned for part 2.[/QUOTE]

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