2555137The American Cyclopædia — Dime

DIME (Fr. dîme, contraction of dixième, a tenth), a silver coin of the United States, of the value of 10 cents, or 1/10 of a dollar. It was first coined in 1796, in pursuance of the act of April 2, 1792, in which year pattern pieces were struck. Its legal standards have been as follows: by act of April 2, 1792, fineness 892.4 thousandths, weight 41.6 grains; by act of Jan. 18, 1837, fineness 900 thousandths, weight 41¼ grains; by act of Feb. 21, 1853, fineness 900 thousandths, weight 38.4 grains. The half dime, of proportional weight and like fineness, was authorized by the same acts. These coins, which previous to Feb. 21, 1853, had been a legal tender for any amount, were by the act of that date made a legal tender only for sums not exceeding $5. By the act of Feb. 12, 1873, the half dime was discontinued, and the weight of the dime was fixed at 38.58 grains, or one fifth that of the half dollar. The number of pieces coined to June 30, 1873, was: dimes 89,854,925, half dimes 97,547,938; total, 187,402,863; value, $13,862,889 40.