The concept for the "Liberty Seated" design came from U.S. Mint Director Robert Patterson. Patterson liked the strength conveyed in the seated "Brittania" and ask for a design of his "Liberty Seated" concept.

The resulting design was hailed for more than its exquisite art. Many thought it symbolized empire building. The course of manifest destiny that the United States was embarking upon was certain to lead to a great empire tempered with democratic ideals. The design was placed on several coins, including the dime.

During its 55 years of use, "Liberty Seated under went many changes. The changes included, the obverse design featuring stars and no stars; with and without drapery at the elbow; with and without arrows at the date; with the legend on the front, or with the legend on the reverse.

Vital Stats.

Type 1 Mintage

Type 1
No Stars (1837-1838)

On the first obverse, Liberty is seated within a clear, uncluttered fields. The first reverse design shows an open-ended wreath of two branches connected at the bottom with a ribbon tied into a bow, with the denomination One Dime, within in the wreath rather than a numerical designation. The regular 1837 issue includes Large and Small Date varieties.

Type 2 Mintage

Type 2
No Drapery with Stars (1838-1840)

The lack of stars (as on earlier coins) lead to some controversy, so in 1838 the United States Mint added thirteen stars along the obverse border encircling the portrait of Liberty. The stars would come to be regarded as a distinct component of the Seated Liberty series. In 1838 the economic depression led to hoarding of coins. For this reason, Hard Times tokens were being used as a money substitute.

Type 3 Mintage

Type 3
Stars and Drapery (1840-1853) (1856-1860)

From late-1840 onward Seated Liberty dimes displayed a fold of drapery at the crook of Liberty's elbow. Besides adding the drapery, Hughes adjusted Liberty's shield to sit more upright. According to sculptor Robert Ball Hughes, this was to give greater "respectability" to the coin. Some collectors believe he was simply looking for a job in hard times.

Type 4 Mintage

1853, the price of Gold fell sharply in relationship to silver. This was thanks to the California gold rush. Silver became worth more than the tender price which resulted in wide spread melting of silver coins. To combat the melting of silver dimes the amount of silver in each coin was slightly reduced. To make these reduced weight coins easily distinguished from older and heavier coins, Chief Engraver James B. Longacre added arrowheads on both sides of the date.

Type 5 Mintage

Type 5
Legend no Stars (1860-1873) (1875-1891)

By 1856 the public was use to the new weight of the silver coins, so the Stars obverse design, without arrows, returned in 1856, the weight remained the same, and continued until 1860, when the Legend Obverse design was issued.

Type 6 Mintage

Type 6
Legend with Arrows at Date (1873-1874)

In 1860, the Mint removed the stars from the dime, replacing them with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA along the obverse border. To fill the void left on the reverse by this motto's departure, the old wreath was replaced with a larger one that displayed a "cereal" wreath made up of corn, wheat, maple and oak leaves.