This Rare Dime From The 19th Century Is Worth A Fortune Now

It's rare that anything costs just a dime these days, but one rare dime costs two and half million dollars to put in your personal coin jar. That jaw dropping value belongs to the 1894-S Barber Dime, which according to Bullion Shark, was sold at auction for a record-breaking $2.5 million, the highest amount on record for this particular coin. While the 1894-S Barber Dime certainly fetches a rich price on the market, it is not the only rare dime to sell for lots of money or to be highly sought after by collectors.

Dimes were first produced as American currency in 1796 and created by the U.S. Mint using real silver as one of the primary components. From 1796 to 1837, dimes showcased an eagle on one side, with lady liberty on the other side. As time went on, many coins, including dimes, underwent changes in how they were produced and designed, leading to numerous variations being put out into the world and sending coin aficionados on the hunt for years to come.

There are many reasons that coins go up in value over time. What is worth 10 cents today could turn into thousands or millions of dollars in the future. Some coins are known to have defects such as double dies, striking errors, or omission of the U.S. Mint's seal. Others are known to be valuable due to the fact that they were the first American coinage originally produced with gold and other precious metals.

What makes the 1894-S Barber Dime so valuable that it now costs millions to own one? Simply that there are only 24 which have ever been struck by the San Francisco Mint and of those 24, only nine are currently known to be accounted for in circulation. Because of the limited supply, the 1894-S Barber Dime is one of the hardest coins to track down, as well as one of the top most expensive US coins in history.

The 1894-S Barber Dime started to catch the attention of collectors and non-collectors alike right before the turn of the century, when one sold for $825,000. In the coming years, the value and price tag continued to increase as auction houses and other dealers continued to see record-breaking sales numbers. In 2005, a 1894-S Barber Dime sold for $1,035,000 and another went for $1.3 million that same year, only to be topped in 2007 with a sale of $1.9 million, according to Most Expensive Coin.

In 2016, Heritage auction sold what is considered to be one of the best kept and most highly regarded 1894-S Barber Dimes, graded Proof 66, for almost $2 million. Nearly a decade later, in January 2025, a 1894-S 10C Branch Mint PR66 PCGS broke that record sales number by adding half a million to the final purchasing price.

So while dimes might seem small in size and value, it is important to keep an eye out for ones that might be worth more than just ten-cents. Certain coinage from around the world is now valued higher than it was originally produced, meaning that you should check your pockets, piggy banks, and couch cushions for the rare coins that could bring a big payday.