Owner Comments:

In 1840 officials at the Philadelphia hired Robert Ball Hughes as an engraver. Hughes’ first assignment was to revamp the Liberty Seated designs that appeared on all of the silver coins. Hughes’ most notable change was the addition of a large drapery that hangs from Ms. Liberty’s right arm (left arm to the observer). Upon closer examination Hughes’ handing of Ms. Liberty’s body and the folds in her gown are less artfully rendered. Hughes made the fewest changes to the half dollar which reflects much of Gobrecht’s original design.

The 1858 dime pictured above is a rare Proof. In 1858 mint director, James Ross Snowden, began to market Proof sets to the general public for the first time in larger quantities. The year market the coin collector boom in American which had been brought on by the demise of the Large Cent and its replacement with smaller Flying Eagle cent. Within a short period of time the number of American coin collectors increased from only a few devotees to a few hundred at various levels of interest.

The mintage of 1858 Proof dimes is said to exceed 300, but today only 80 pieces have been estimated to have survived. As such this is indeed a very scarce coin, especially in PR-65 condition.