 1803 JR-5 (R-7+). Fine to Very Fine in actual terms of wear. Obverse surfaces are smooth and possess an appealing arm's length appearance, with the silver-gray central devices wreathed in colorful russet and gold toning in the fields. There are ancient scratches on the obverse, and some on the reverse, all of which have long since toned down. The boldly defined reverse is silver-gray with some toning in the fields and exhibits a grainy look from numerous fine circulation tics.
What this specimen lacks in beauty is made up for in rarity. This die variety was discovered about a dozen years ago and is thus unlisted in the Early U.S. Dimes book published in 1984. It combines obverse die 2 with reverse A, which was also used to produce 1803 JR-1, 1802 JR-1 and the 1802 Breen 4 Quarter Eagle. The relatively recent discovery of this die combination goes to show that new discoveries are still waiting to be made in the field of early U.S. type coins. Three examples of this variety have been reported to the JRCS Dime Census, and only one might grade higher than this newly discovered specimen. Here is an important opportunity for the variety collector that should not be taken lightly.
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