How large were dimes in the 1830's - 1840's?

[Darto]

Due to their size at that time, could they be shot in most 12 gauge smoothbores?

 

[Stumpkiller]

18.5mm or 0.728" (1830 capped bust US dime). Roosevelt is a 0.705" diameter (17.91mm)

12 bore is 0.729" in cylinder. Very tight but bore size.

 

[Carbon 6]

The 1840 Seated Liberty Dime
Weight:
2.7 grams
Diameter:
17.9 millimeters

 

[Straekat]

The 1840 Seated Liberty Dime
Weight:
2.7 grams
Diameter:
17.9 millimeters

I found one of the 1840 dimes in the attic under the floorboards of my house that was built in the 1790s. The condition was VF with a small amount of pitting and the strike was not as clean as later ones made from better dies. During the 1830's-40's the owner was involved in the riverboat building business and dabbled with sending goods down river to NO. I don't know how the dime got to the house, however, the chances it might be linked to the owner at that time can't be discounted.

I kept it in a small display case with other items found in and around the house. I was surprised by what 1840 production pieces can be worth, particularly depending on the pattern and condition. I wouldn't shotgun one from that year.

 

[Carbon 6]

I wouldn't shotgun one from that year.

Nor I, you could be wasting a lot of money.

 

[Cruzatte]

Nor I, you could be wasting a lot of money.

Yup, my sentiments exactly.

 

[GregLaRoche]

I don’t think I’ll be shooting any dimes, but did find the video interesting.

 

[nhmoose]

When I hear dimes in a 12 gauge I immediately think IDIOT

 

[Rat]

Yeah, shooting one modern dime would be a waste of money, let alone a stack of them. There's a thing called "sectional density" that projectiles kind of benefit from.