Rare 1894 San Francisco dime sells for $1.25 million at auction
A rare 1894-S Barber dime, one of only 24 ever minted, sold at auction for $1.25 million. The coin's extreme rarity stems from a period of economic instability in the US, making it a highly sought-after item for numismatists.
Why it matters
The sale highlights the enduring value of historical artifacts and the niche market for rare currency collecting.
A 10-cent coin minted in San Francisco more than a century ago has just sold for about $1.25 million, turning one of the smallest denominations in US currency into a million-dollar collector's prize. The 1894-S Barber dime is one of the most famous rarities in American numismatics. According to auction house Stack's Bowers Galleries, which handled the recent sale, only 24 examples were struck in 1894 and just nine are known to survive today. The coin sold for $1,250,500 at the company's 2026 auction, more than 130 years after it was made.Why were only 24 dimes made?The extraordinary story of the 1894-S Barber dime begins at the San Francisco Mint during a period of economic difficulty. The United States was still dealing with the effects of the Panic of 1893, a severe financial crisis that contributed to a sharp reduction in demand for new coinage.
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