The Number One Dime is the first coin ever earned by Scrooge.
History[]
An ordinary American dime minted in 1875, this coin was brought to Glasgow in the pocket of American businessman Howard Rockerduck in 1877. He dropped it in a busy street, where it was found by young Matilda McDuck, who brought it back to her father in wonder.
Fergus's son Scrooge having just turned ten, Fergus gave him a shoeshine kit for his birthday. He then went out to make some money with it, and shined the boots of a ditchdigger. Wanting to teach Scrooge an important lesson, Fergus had slipped the coin (worthless in Scotland) to Burt, instructing him to pay Scrooge with it; as Fergus had planned, Scrooge learned from his experience that there would always be people out there trying to get the better of him even if he worked hard, and that he must not only work harder, but be smarter, if he was to make his way in the world. He kept the coin ever since as a memento both of his first day's work and of this lesson.
Becoming the first coin ever owned by the richest man of all time, the Dime was thought by some to have accumulated mystical power over time; it allegedly served as a good luck charm that brought fortune onto Scrooge's business so long as he stayed true to the Dime's message of hard work besides. Unfortunately, this magical charge also led to the Dime being coveted by sorceress Magica De Spell, who planned to sacrifice it in a ritual to give herself the Midas Touch (or to otherwise use its magical powers to her advantage).
Behind the scenes[]
The Dime was first seen in the 1953 story The Round Money Bin.