

A Barber Dime contains 0.0723 troy oz of pure silver, worth $3.91 at today's spot price.
Named for Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber, this dime shares its Liberty Head design with the Barber quarter and half dollar.
Melt values use these spot prices (US dollars):
- Silver $54.05 per troy oz Current quote · Quote time Oct 24, 1:20 AM EDT
Some prices could not be refreshed recently and may be out of date.
Melt value is the metal content at spot price, not a buy or sell price. Collectible coins can be worth much more. For reference only.
Specifications
| Years | 1892–1916 |
|---|---|
| Face value | 10¢ |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Gross weight | 2.5 g |
| Fineness | .900 (90%) |
| Pure metal | 0.0723 troy oz (2.25 g) |
| Diameter | 17.9 mm |
| Standard roll | 50 coins |
How the melt value is worked out
Melt value is the pure silver in the coin multiplied by the spot price. We use the coin's standard minted weight; worn coins weigh slightly less.
-
2.5 g × .900 fine ÷ 31.1035 g per troy oz = 0.0723 troy oz
0.0723 troy oz × $54.05 spot = $3.91
How to identify it
- Liberty faces right, wearing a cap and laurel wreath, with LIBERTY on a headband.
- The reverse shows a wreath around the words ONE DIME.
- The mint mark (O, S or D) is on the reverse, below the wreath; Philadelphia coins have none.
Melt value vs. collector value
Melt value is a floor, not a price. Better dates, coins with mint luster and graded coins often sell well above melt; key dates and rare varieties can be worth many times more. Check the date and mint mark before selling a coin for its metal.
Related tools
Sources
- US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 — checked 2026-10-22
- Coinage Act of 1873 (17 Stat. 424) — checked 2026-10-22

