1867 Dime - 1867 Seated 10c NGC MS66. 1867 Seated 10C, F-102, NGC MS66. This Superb Gem 1867 Dime has the lowest business strike mintage of Liberty Seated dime series. The lustrous coin is toned with shades of grays and blues with gold at the centers. The coin is well struck with full details on Libertys head and the wreath details on the reverse. The dentils are full and sharp on both sides. The surfaces are original and clean. Both sides show parallel die striae, which are typical for the period that come from dies not being finished at the time of striking.

Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the obverse depicts Liberty seated, looking over her shoulder to the left. She balances the Union Shield inscribed LIBERTY with her right hand and holds a staff on which is placed a Phrygian cap in her left. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is interrupted by her head and the capped pole. The date is below. The reverse, designed by James B. Longacre, shows the denomination written in two words surrounded by an closed wreath of corn, wheat, maple, and oak. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides of the coin.

Christian Gobrecht was the third Chief Engraver at the United States Mint. He was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania in 1785. His father was a German immigrant, and his mother traced her ancestry to the early settlers of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Gobrecht married Mary Hewes in 1818. One of his early positions was as an engraver of clocks in Baltimore. Later he went to Philadelphia where he became a banknote engraver. He invented a machine that allowed one to convert a three-dimensional medal into an illustration. This was an excellent job and Gobrecht was understandably reluctant to work for the Mint for less money than he was making at the engraving firm.

In order to persuade him to leave, Mint Director Robert Patterson prevailed upon Chief Engraver William Kneass, who had had a stroke, to take less in salary so more money would be available to hire Gobrecht on a permanent basis. In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to Kneass. After Kneass stroke, Gobrecht did all the die and pattern work for the Mint. He became Chief Engraver in 1840 and served until his death in 1844. He was famous for his Liberty Seated motif which was used for all denominations of silver coinage including the half-dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and silver dollar. He also designed the Liberty Head gold eagle, a motif that was also used on the half-cent, the cent, the gold quarter eagle, and the gold half eagle.

In 1844 James Longacre was appointed Mint Engraver through the influence of Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina. After overcoming opposition by the Chief Coiner, Franklin Peale, who was fearful that the new Engraver would interfere with his illegal medal manufacturing business using the Mint facilities, Longacre did well. He was responsible for creating many new designs including the Indian Head cent, the two-cent piece, the Shield nickel, the Liberty Head gold dollar, the Indian Princess gold dollar, the three-dollar gold piece, and the Liberty Head double eagle.

The 1867 Liberty Seated dime had an original mintage of only 6,000, making it the lowest mintage of the series. In its population report, NGC shows 10 in MS66 condition with 4 better. At PCGS there are 6 in MS66 with 2 better, and these numbers do not account for crossovers or resubmissions.