![]() In 1931, San Francisco and Denver issued relatively few dimes, making the 1931 D and 1931 S desirable to numismatists. The Denver Mint did not issue Mercury Dimes in 1930, which means any coins shown as 1930 D are bogus. If you see a 1923 D Mercury Dime, it’s a counterfeit. No dimes were issued in 1922 and no 1923 dimes were issued in Denver. Production for the 1921 Mercury Dime was relatively low, with about 1.2 million in Philadelphia and about a million in Denver. Production didn’t restart until late 1917 making both years from Denver relatively scarce for the dime in any condition. Denver issued only 264,000 Mercury Dimes in 1916, with most entering circulation before being collected. However, the Denver Mint was told to stop production of the Mercury Dime in favor of the Standing Liberty quarter. ![]() The Mercury Dime was first issued in October 1916 at the Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver Mints. Rarities and mistrikes that collectors prize so highly appeared throughout the three-plus decades of the Mercury Dime’s lifespan. If the bands are crisp and distinct, it is considered a “full strike,” which is something not all mints were able to produce consistently. The higher relief of the leather bands of the fasces on the reverse is key to grading a Mercury Dime. But Mercury Dimes usually show more wear than most, because the collar surrounding the outside of the coin was reduced to better interact with coin-operated machines. From its introduction in late 1916 until its run ended in 1945, the Mercury Dime rose to become one of the most popular coins produced in the United States.Īs with most types of collectibles, condition is key for coins. Weinman’s vision featured a side profile of the aforementioned Winged Liberty Head on the obverse and a Roman fasces with an olive branch on the reverse to symbolize both war and peace. Image courtesy of Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles and LiveAuctioneers After a sponsored design competition failed to produce a suitable winner, a commission was given to sculptor and artist Adolph Weinman, who had created the Walking Liberty Half Dollar and several military campaign medals.Īn antique-tone 1916-D Mercury Dime with a PCGS grade of MS-66 sold for $49,000 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2021. In 1915, the Mint started the ball rolling to secure a new coin design to replace the Seated Liberty dime that had been in circulation since 1892. But the debut of the coin was misunderstood by the press, and it was nicknamed “Mercury” instead. In actuality, the profile on the dime is a Winged Liberty Head – a woman wearing the Phrygian Cap of Liberty with wings denoting freedom. It has become part of the American lexicon. Yet these ideas persist, and coin collectors continue to call the early 20th century American 10-cent coin the Mercury Dime. The Mercury dime doesn’t feature an image of the Roman god Mercury on its obverse side. Betsy Ross didn’t sew the first American Flag. The Pilgrims didn’t initially land on a rock at Plymouth Harbor. Image courtesy of Gold Standard Auctions and LiveAuctioneers A 1916 D Mercury Dime, graded as nearly uncirculated, sold for $4,250 plus the buyer’s premium in October 2020 at Gold Standard Auctions.
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