1889 Canadian 10-Cent (Dime) Value Guide

The 1889 Canadian 10-cent piece is one of the most coveted key dates in Victorian Dominion numismatics. On paper, its official mintage of 600,000 suggests a coin of moderate availability — yet market reality tells an entirely different story: the 1889 dime is aggressively scarce at every grade level and virtually unobtainable in Mint State. Scholars and market analysts have attributed this paradox to die carryover from 1888 dies, economic contraction causing unissued stock to be remelted, or both — resulting in a coin whose true release into circulation may have been a fraction of its recorded production figure.

Struck exclusively at the Royal Mint in London (Tower Hill), the 1889 dime carries no mint mark — a critical point for authentication. There is no Heaton Birmingham "H" variety for this year; any 1889 dime bearing an "H" is a counterfeit or fantasy piece. For full context on the Victorian dime series, see our Canadian Dime Value Guide.

1889 Canadian Dime Composition & Melt Value

The 1889 10-cent coin belongs to Canada's Sterling Standard era — a lineage of purity inherited directly from British coinage practice. Unlike the United States, which used a .900 fine silver standard for its dimes of the same period, Canada adhered to .925 sterling until 1919. This higher purity gives high-grade survivors a distinct, bright white brilliance that differs subtly from the greyer tone of contemporary American silver.

Actual Silver Weight and Melt Value: The 1889 dime contains 0.0691 troy ounces of silver. As of February 2026, silver spot prices in Canada have surged to approximately $106 CAD per ounce, yielding a calculated melt value of approximately $7.34 CAD. For current spot data, see Canada Gold — Today's Silver Prices. It is important to note that numismatic value for this key date begins at roughly $900 CAD in the lowest circulated grade — approximately 120 times the melt value. The rising silver market acts as a psychological floor and broadens collector interest, but it is rarity that drives the 1889's pricing.

Magnet Test — Critical Authentication: Genuine 1889 Canadian dimes are composed of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper — both non-ferrous metals. A genuine 1889 dime will not respond to a rare-earth magnet. If a coin presented as an 1889 dime is attracted to a magnet, it is almost certainly a modern counterfeit made from a steel or nickel-alloy base. This is the single fastest authentication test available to any collector.

Weight as an Authentication Tool: A genuine 1889 dime weighs 2.32 grams. A tolerance of ±0.05 grams is acceptable for coins with normal circulation wear. Any coin weighing significantly less (e.g., 2.10 g) or significantly more (e.g., 2.50 g) should be considered suspect and submitted to a professional grading service for authentication.

A Note on Melting: As a silver coin struck under the Coinage Act, the 1889 dime remains legal tender in Canada. The Currency Act of Canada prohibits the melting of coin of the realm. Given that even the most worn example carries a numismatic premium far exceeding melt value, melting would represent a significant financial loss in any scenario.

The magnet test is the fastest first-line authentication check for the 1889 Canadian dime. A genuine sterling silver coin will show no attraction to a rare-earth magnet. Any magnetic response is a strong indicator of a counterfeit. (Illustration — not a photo of your exact coin)

1889 Canadian Dime Value Chart by Grade

The 1889 Canadian dime is a key date with an exponential value curve: each grade step upward brings a dramatically larger price premium than the step before it. Because 99% of surviving examples circulated heavily — serving daily commerce in the Dominion's shops, tram fares, and dry goods stores — high-grade examples are condition rarities of the first order. The table below reflects certified (ICCS/PCGS/NGC), problem-free coins; see notes below the table for the impact of cleaning, damage, and the Repunched Date (RPD) variety premium.

Values are sourced from recent realized auction prices and current market data as of February 2026. All figures are in Canadian dollars (CAD). For live certified population data, see the NGC Price Guide for Canada 10 Cents KM-3 and the PCGS Price Guide for Canadian 10C (1889–1929).

Grade progression for the 1889 Canadian dime: Good-4 (silhouette portrait, no hair detail), Fine-12 (major braid detail and ear visible), Very Fine-20 (full braid detail, wear only on high points). Moving up just one or two grade steps adds hundreds to thousands of dollars in value. (Illustration — not a photo of your exact coin)

1889 Canadian Dime — Business Strike Value Chart

Values in CAD. Certified (ICCS/PCGS/NGC), problem-free coins only. As of February 2026.

The difference between an XF-40 and an MS-62 1889 Canadian dime can represent $15,000 or more in value. The MS coin retains full cartwheel luster — blazing brilliance from its original sterling silver surface — while the XF shows luster only in protected areas with visible friction on the cheek and hair. (Illustration — not a photo of your exact coin)

Values in CAD represent typical market prices as of February 2026. For the full Victorian dime series guide, see our Canadian Dime Value Guide.

Most Valuable 1889 Canadian Dime Varieties

The 1889 Canadian dime has a limited but important variety catalogue. The primary collectible variety is the Repunched Date (RPD). Beyond the RPD, collectors must navigate two well-known misattributions — the "Large 9" and the "Inverted 1" — that are regularly misapplied to this date in auction listings and dealer offerings. Understanding these distinctions protects buyers from overpaying and helps specialists identify genuine premium coins.

1. The Repunched Date (RPD) — Primary Variety

The most prestigious documented variety for the 1889 dime is the Repunched Date (RPD), listed in specialized catalogues including the Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins. In the 19th century, dates were hand-punched into each working die individually. If the mintworker struck the punch lightly to check alignment, then repositioned and struck again more firmly, a ghost or secondary impression would survive if the punch shifted — even fractionally — between strikes.

The Repunched Date (RPD) diagnostic for the 1889 Canadian dime: a secondary 'ghost' impression is visible on the second '8' in the date, with an extra line extending from its lower left. A confirmed RPD attribution from ICCS or PCGS commands a 25%–50% premium over a standard example at the same grade. (Illustration — not a photo of your exact coin)

Diagnostic Pickup Points:

• The Repunched Second '8': The primary diagnostic is found on the second digit '8' in the date sequence. Look for a small extra line extending from the lower left of the digit, or doubling visible within the upper and/or lower loops of the numeral.
• The 'Double 9': Some specimens also exhibit doubling on the tail of the final '9', visible as a secondary curved line beneath the primary digit stroke.

Tools Required: A 10× jeweller's loupe is the minimum. A 20× or 30× loupe provides clearer resolution for these micro-diagnostics. Examine the date under raking light (angled, not direct overhead) to maximize shadow contrast on any secondary impressions.

Market Premium: An attributed RPD in high grade can command a premium of 25% to 50% over a standard coin of the same grade. In lower circulated grades (G-4 through VF-20), wear reduces the visibility of the doubling and the premium is correspondingly smaller, as the attribution becomes difficult to verify without the full diagnostic features intact.

Important Advisory: RPD attribution should be confirmed by a professional grading service — ICCS, PCGS, or NGC — with the specific variety noted on the holder label. Do not pay a variety premium for a raw (uncertified) coin based on seller attribution alone.

2. The Specimen (SP) Hypothetical — The Holy Grail

The question of whether the Royal Mint struck intentional Specimen coins for the 1889 issue has no confirmed answer in the positive. There are currently zero 1889 Specimen 10-cent coins listed in the PCGS or NGC population reports. Specimens would be identified by a double-strike at high pressure, polished planchets, and characteristically sharp, squared rims — all features absent from business-strike examples.

A raw coin offered for sale as an "1889 Specimen" on secondary markets is virtually guaranteed to be either a polished business strike (fresh dies create mirror-like fields on the first coins struck) or an outright counterfeit. If a genuine, documented 1889 Specimen were to surface and be authenticated, its value would likely exceed $100,000 CAD — it would represent a unique or near-unique piece of Canadian numismatic history.

3. The "Large 9" — Clarification

The "Large 9" and "Small 9" varieties are celebrated and formally catalogued for the 1891 and 1899 dimes, where a distinct font change between obverse dies creates a measurable and attributable difference. For the 1889, no formal "Large 9" vs. "Small 9" distinction is recognized in major price guides. Variations observed in auction listings likely reflect differences in die wear depth or punch pressure rather than a deliberate font change. Collectors should exercise caution before paying a significant premium for a "Large 9" attribution on an 1889 dime unless the coin carries a certified label from ICCS or PCGS with that specific variety attribution.

4. The "Inverted 1" — A Foreign Coin Confusion

References to an "Inverted 1" variety associated with 1889 10-cent coins appear in search results and auction databases. This variety belongs to Hong Kong 10-cent pieces of 1889 — also a Victorian colonial issue with similar design vocabulary — and has been misapplied to Canadian listings. There is no verified Canadian 1889 10-cent "Inverted 1" variety. Collectors searching for 1889 dimes must filter out results for Hong Kong and other British Empire colonial coinages to avoid misidentification.

For additional variety documentation, see CoinVarieties — Canada 1889 10 Cents.

1889 Canadian Dime Identification Guide

Because the 1889 dime is among the most valuable Victorian Canadian coins, it attracts a disproportionate share of counterfeit activity. The two primary threats are altered dates (genuine 1888 or 1899 dimes re-engraved to read 1889) and modern struck counterfeits (high-quality fakes from overseas). The following checklist and authentication workflow are designed to help collectors identify a genuine example before any purchase is made.

Obverse: Queen Victoria "Young Head" portrait by Leonard Charles Wyon, facing right, with "VICTORIA" legend above. Reverse: wreath encircling "10 CENTS" denomination with a small crown at the top, also designed by Wyon. The 1889 date on a genuine coin appears crisp and undisturbed, with clean fields around every digit.

30-Second Identification Checklist

1. Monarch Check: The obverse bears a right-facing portrait of Queen Victoria in the Young Head style, designed by Leonard Charles Wyon. The legend reads VICTORIA above the portrait. This portrait style was used on Canadian dimes from 1858 through 1901. A portrait that looks unlike a Victorian Young Head (e.g., a diademed or crowned mature queen) indicates the wrong coin entirely.
2. Reverse Check: The reverse features an ornate wreath encircling the denomination 10 CENTS, with a small crown at the top of the wreath. Both obverse and reverse designs are credited to Leonard Charles Wyon.
3. Date Check: Confirm the date reads 1889. The digits should appear crisp and undisturbed, with no tooling marks, discoloration, or unusual spacing in the surrounding field. (See the counterfeit forensics section below for detailed digit-by-digit checks.)
4. Edge Check: The edge is reeded (milled). Check the reeds under a loupe: genuine reeds are consistent in depth and spacing, applied uniformly by the coining collar during striking. Reeds that are shallow, inconsistent, or show a seam line on the edge suggest a fake.
5. Magnet Test: Apply a rare-earth (neodymium) magnet to the coin. A genuine 1889 dime is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper — both non-ferrous. The coin must show zero attraction to the magnet. Any magnetic response is a strong red-flag indicator of a counterfeit made from ferrous alloy.
6. No Mint Mark: A genuine 1889 Canadian dime carries no mint mark. It was struck exclusively at the Royal Mint in London. There is no Heaton Birmingham "H" variant for this year — that mark first appears on the 1890-H issue. Any 1889 coin bearing an "H" is a counterfeit or fantasy piece.
7. Weight Check: A genuine coin weighs 2.32 grams. Using a precision digital scale (0.01g resolution), a tolerance of ±0.05 grams is acceptable for coins with normal circulation wear. A coin weighing 2.10g or 2.50g falls outside this tolerance and warrants professional examination.
8. Finish Check: The 1889 dime is a business strike only. No Proof-Like or Specimen examples are documented. Coins with mirror-like fields on a raw (uncertified) example should be examined closely — fresh dies on the first strikes of any run can produce semi-reflective surfaces, but an intentionally prepared Specimen strike for 1889 is unknown. Do not pay a Specimen premium for any raw coin.

Grading Diagnostics at a Glance

Population estimates are approximate figures extrapolated from combined ICCS/PCGS/NGC census data trends and account for resubmissions, as cited in the source document.

Counterfeit Forensics: Detecting Altered Dates

The most common fraud involves taking a genuine but inexpensive 1888 or 1899 dime and modifying one digit to create the appearance of the valuable 1889 date.

Date authentication comparison: a genuine 1889 date (left) shows crisp, undisturbed digits with smooth surrounding fields. A suspected altered date (right) shows tooling marks — fine parallel scratches in the field near the altered digit — and a '9' with an unnaturally hooked or thickened lower tail consistent with a reshaped '8'. Always use a 10× loupe and look for field disturbance around each digit. (Illustration — not a photo of your exact coin)

1888 → 1889 Alteration: The counterfeiter removes the bottom-left loop of the final '8' and reshapes it into a '9'.

• Use a 10× loupe and look for tooling marks (fine parallel scratches or abrasion) in the field immediately surrounding the final digit.
• Examine the shape of the '9' tail: a genuine '9' has a specific, clean curve. An altered '8' often produces a '9' that looks hooked, too thick at the bottom, or with an indistinct curve compared to the other digits in the date.
• Check the spacing between digits: the distance between all four date numerals is fixed by the master hub. Alterations that involve re-engraving often disrupt the spacing slightly.

1899 → 1889 Alteration: The counterfeiter removes the first '9' and replaces it with an '8' — by soldering, embossing, or tooling.

• Look for a seam, discoloration, or difference in metal sheen at the base of the second digit (the altered position).
• Compare the font of the remaining '9's to the altered digit: the 1899 dime has its own specific "Small 9" or "Large 9" die characteristics. If the '9' digits on a supposed "1889" match the distinctive font of a known 1899 variety that was not present on any 1889 die, the coin is altered.

Detecting Modern Struck Counterfeits

• The "Mushy" Detail Test: Genuine Victorian silver has crisp, sharply defined denticles (the teeth around the rim) and clear separation between individual hair strands in the portrait. Transfer-die counterfeits typically lose this resolution, resulting in soft or "mushy" detail — particularly in the Queen's hair bun and the leaf veins of the reverse wreath.
• The Edge Test: Genuine coins have reeds applied simultaneously with the strike, by the collar. Fake reeds are often too shallow, too regular (machined appearance), or inconsistent in depth.
• The Magnet Test: As noted above — a genuine coin is non-magnetic. Many low-quality counterfeits use ferrous alloys.
• Weight: 2.32 grams ±0.05g is the genuine tolerance.

1889 Canadian Dime Value FAQs

Methodology & Sources

Values in this guide reflect certified (ICCS/PCGS/NGC), problem-free coins and are drawn from realized auction prices and current market data as of February 2026. Primary price references include the NGC Price Guide for Canada 10 Cents KM-3, the PCGS Price Guide for Canadian 10C, and realized prices from NumisBids (Canadian Numismatic Company, May 2023) and Heritage Auctions. Variety attribution references include the Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, CoinVarieties — Canada 1889 10 Cents, and Calgary Coin — Canadian 10-Cent Series. Coin specifications sourced from Numista — Victoria 10 Cents 1889. Melt value based on silver spot data from Canada Gold — Today's Silver Prices. Population survival estimates are approximate figures extrapolated from combined ICCS/PCGS/NGC census data trends, accounting for resubmissions. Market values represent typical retail expectations and may vary. This guide covers standard business-strike values only; no price predictions are made.