followup question on 1893/2 proof Barber Dime

tincup

I posted a question earlier on the 1893/2 overdate proof Barber Dime.... and got some great answers.

But there is one thing that is still puzzling to me. The redbook says there were 792 proof dimes for that year. But... yet..... there were obviously several dies, since the overdate is rare and there is obviously the regular date (and appears to be a die where the overdate may have been attempted to gotten rid of).

Why so many dies for so small of a run? Did the US Mint make multiple dies, then just strike a few proofs, then use the dies for regular coinage? Just seems odd, when compared to the multiple thousands of coins that the modern dies are used for. Any ideas on this?

Perhaps the overdate was the first die.... discovered quickly, then attempted to repair it...... but found to be unsat so then discarded?

Leiana

I know I have read about the mint trying to fix overdated dies that simply shattered after the "fixing."

I read it on these forums in the thread "How is an overdate created?"

-Amanda

RichieURich

I don't know. I'm still trying to figure out why there is a regular and an overdate die for the 1863 three cent silver (1863 and 1863/2) for a total coinage of 460.

Edited to add mintage.