1846 Dime Error List with Pictures
An 1846 dime of the F-101 variety sold for $3,120 in August 2021. Small raised patches beside several stars help identify that variety, although the date itself is already scarce.
This guide to 1846 dime errors covers those star chips and the related lines on the back. Estimated prices for worn examples run from $350 to $3,500.
Follow the checks below to see which marks belong to the coin and how condition affects its value.
1846 Liberty Seated Dime Star Die Chips and Associated Reverse Lines (Estimated Up to $3,500)
Small bumps beside a star can come from tiny pieces breaking out of a die. A die is the steel tool that stamps the coin’s design.
Metal fills those small openings during striking, leaving raised patches on the coin. On the 1846 F-101 variety, they appear near stars 3, 4, 5, 6, and 13.
Related lines run above parts of AMERICA toward the back rim. Specialist descriptions differ on whether to call those lines cracks.
The star chips are the clearer damage feature. They sit inside the design, rather than forming a large raised patch joined to the rim.
Estimated Value
Estimated whole-coin values are $350–$3,500 for worn examples. The scarce date contributes much of that amount before the star chips are considered.
PCGS records a $3,120 sale at Stack’s Bowers in August 2021. The coin was identified as F-101 and graded AU Details.
That grade means slight wear plus a surface or condition problem. The sale prices the entire coin, not a separate $3,120 bonus for the raised patches.
How to Identify
Check that the date sits high and level on the front. A sloping date on a specially made collector Proof is not a substitute for this regular-use variety.
Next, examine stars 3 through 6 and star 13 with a 10× magnifier. Compare the small raised patches beside them with a clear F-101 photograph.
Dirt resting on the surface and scratches cut into it can look different when the light moves. Do not scrape a patch to test it.
When safely accessible, use a scale and calipers against about 2.67 g and 17.9 mm, then inspect the edge grooves. Check the lines above AMERICA, but return to the star patches: those matching raised shapes are the clearest sign of the chipped tool.
Conclusion
For this 1846 variety, the estimated $350–$3,500 range covers the whole coin. Wear and surface problems can matter far more than the size of an individual chip.
Look beside the stars for raised patches that match a pictured example. The lines above AMERICA help with comparison, but the star chips give the clearer view of what happened to the stamping tool.