Mint dime output increases fastest

This article was originally printed in the latest issue of Numismatic News.
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Dimes. Who needs them?

Americans apparently.

Of the denominations struck by the U.S. Mint in 2010 that are actually used in circulation, demand for dimes has bounced back faster than for any other denomination following the Great Recession.

Dime production exceeded one billion pieces through November 2010. What’s more, the 1,105,500,000 dimes exceeds the 2008 output of 1,050,500,000 pieces. Dime production is still roughly half of the 2 billion coins struck in 2007, the last year of prosperity, but 2010 output is more than seven and a half times the 2009 production total of 146 million coins.

Nickel production in 2010 so far is 5.6 times higher than 2009 production, but the 487.2 million nickels struck in 2010 is less than the 640.56 million struck in 2008.

Cent production in 2010 at 3,953,230,000 pieces is not even twice the 2009 low of almost 2.4 billion coins. In 2008, cent output was 5.4 billion pieces.

Quarter production in 2010 is actually below the 2009 total. This year’s 347 million pieces compares to 2009’s 533.92 million. It is also less than 14 percent of 2008’s 2.5388 billion total.

Production of all denominations combined in 2010 totals almost 6.3 billion coins, up from 2009’s 3.5 billion pieces, but down from 2008’s 10.1 billion coins.

Production of 2010 quarters, halves and dollars is finished for the year.