Early United States Dimes
"Bust Dimes"

The dime is the most American of the denominations.  The United States is characterized, rightly so, as a melting pot in all matters of culture.  So, too, is the dime.

Unlike other nations' coins of the period, the dime was designed to be a metric denomination.  It avoided the centuries-old practice of dividing the standard unit into halves, quarters, dozenths, or quarters of dozenths.  Instead, it assumed the French idea that all measurements should be metric units and then applied it to money.

The uniquity of the dime's globalism isn't limited to that, though.  Remember that its value at the time was equal to one-tenth of a Spanish 8 Reales silver piece.  This coin had become colloquially referred to as a Dollar, a term derived from earlier Scandinavian money. And yes, it was all thought up by a bunch of displaced Brits, Dutchmen, and Germans.

For additional Web-based information regarding these fascinating coins, please click the images at the left.  If you would like to delve into the subject further, you should strive to obtain a copy of Early United States Dimes, 1796 - 1837, published by the John Reich Collectors Society.