In fact, the same expert can grade the same coins differently on different occasions. Sponsored. Discover how much your box of old coins is worth. Mercury dimes are also known as Winged Liberty Head dimes. A stylized "AW" is on the obverse field just behind Liberty. $5.95. On the reverse is found the "S" mintmark of San Francisco. Condition: AG-3. 1916 Dime: Values. A set of lightly circulated, similarly toned Mercury dimes is an enjoyable challenge to many collectors. This variety was caused by the Mint's wartime use of a puncheon (used to impress mintmarks on dies and hubs) which had been made for use with early 20th century Philippine coinage struck at San Francisco, which had only a small space for the mintmark. Even scuffed versions can earn a decent price, and it vastly exceeds either the S . [10], On December 3, Woolley met with the Commission of Fine Arts. Therefore, each dime contains approximately $1.20 worth of silver. Many in Fine grade or less are considered as part of this group. *= See the section above "Key Dates, Rarities and Varieties" for more information on these coins. Fast delivery on All Products US Silver Mercury Dime & 3 Nazi Germany Zinc And Bronze Reichspfennig Coin Lot Wholesale commodity Online store livingtogether.org.il, US $29.98 We have many more coins for sale Authentic historic coins from Nazi Germany J = Hamburg These coins are chosen at random and will be various . The first time, he found Barber absent, but had a productive talk with long-time Assistant Engraver George T. Morgan. Sinnock stated that the pieces were most likely struck in late 1941, when preparation of the 1942 dies was under way. The lowest mintage of the series occurred for the 1916-D, which has become a classic key date coin of the twentieth century. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [22], Weinman never disclosed the name of the model for the obverse, and no person ever claimed to have been her. Reverse: Features Identifying Extremely Fine Grade: A first indicator of an Extremely Fine grade Mercury dime are full diagonal bands as they cross the vertical lines. View the images below for further reference. Sculptors of reputation have been employed with admirable resultsAnd now we are to have a new half dollar and a new dime by Weinman and a new quarter by McNeill [sic]. Obverse: Features Identifying Extremely Fine Grade: Small amounts of wear have now flattened high point areas. Compare your coins to the Grading Images to judge condition and coin value charts. This led to a great increase in interest in collecting current coinage by date and mintmark. As such, these coins are occasionally counterfeit or altered from common coins. The mint mark location is on the reverse of the coin to the left of the fasces. Although the new coin's design was admired for its beauty, the Mint made modifications to it upon learning that vending machine manufacturers were having difficulties making the new dime work in their devices. Woolley suggested to the members that if they did not like the Mint's work, they should select sculptors to submit designs for the new pieces. Visually different stages of wear are assigned a grade. Editors note: keep in mind that the assigned grade is subjective and can vary between individuals or organizations. [10] At the time, the Mint was intensely busy producing the Panama-Pacific commemorative coin issue, and immediate action was not taken. . Minting of Barber dimes resumed. [35] Lange traced the history of this misnomer, This misattribution appeared almost immediately in the popular press, as writers imagined that the obviously female Liberty was actually a representation of Mercury, messenger to the Roman gods of mythology and quite certainly a male. Despite being a relatively common coin, due to its high issue, not all 1941 Mercury Dime have lasted to present day. Chapter 1: History of the Mercury dimes", "Mercury dimes. The markings on any coin mean something important, and theres usually a cool story behind these unusual markings. The following chart clearly shows the wide range in values. The coin shown in the photos is the exact coin you'll receive. Knowing these will let you make informed decisions when buying or selling mercury dimes, or when youre wondering whether the appraiser is giving you a fair deal. Also, the design is quite unique, as the fasces on the reverse is not a common symbol found on US coins. [4], Beginning in 1905, successive presidential administrations had attempted to bring modern, beautiful designs to United States coins. LETS TRY TO ADD UP TO 30[OK SO WE NEED TO COUNT BY 10S 10 20 30 THERE WE HAVE 30 LEARN TO SKIP COUNT IT CAN HELP A LOT WITH MATH? Graduated in Labor Relations and Human Resources. [32] Several newspapers complained that Weinman's monogram was too prominent on the obverse; according to The New York Times, the Treasury was considering removal. Heres what you should pay attention to when evaluating mercury dimes: Grading deserves its own section what with its own scale, expert organizations, and even slang (a slabbed coin is one that has been professionally graded and sealed). Required fields are marked *. Additionally, leaves of the olive branch each have a "glow" similar to the fields of the coin just below. Of course, this detail is only noticeable in coins of high quality, because due to wear it is possible that, even if it had been a Full Band in its origin, it would be indistinguishable. In the first place is this 100-year-old coin's preservation. At the base of the Fasces to the left is a small "S" indicating San Francisco struck the dime. They reflect closely the value you would expect to receive when selling. Theywere produced at three different mints: Philadelphia (no mint mark), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S). Woolley described the design in his 1916 report to the Secretary of the Treasury: The design of the dime, owing to the smallness of the coin, has been held quite simple. The obverse shows a head of Liberty with winged cap. Instead, Weinman prepared modified designs, separating the letters of "LIBERTY" slightly from the rim, and lowering the relief. It's actually an intertwined A W -- the monogram of the coin's designer A. Numismatic collector with special interest in the history of Spain. However, we can expand this to years and mints, making a huge collection worth over $30,000. Category: Mercury Dimes (1916-1945) Mint: San Francisco Mintage: 41,290,000 Obverse Designer: Adolph A. Weinman Reverse Designer: Adolph A. Weinman Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper Fineness: 0.9 Weight: 2.5g ASW: 0.0723oz Melt Value: $1.60 (2/11/2023) Diameter: 17.8mm Edge: Reed The San Francisco mint became famous for this coin because its mint mark printing is smaller than normal and also . [40] Also produced at that time, though less apparent to the naked eye, was the 1942/1-D. Another popular variety is the 1945-S "Micro S", with a smaller-than-normal mintmark. The sculptors could submit multiple sketches. His depiction of the pileus as a winged cap has provoked comparisons with Roman Republic denarii, which art historian Cornelius Vermeule considered superficial. Mercury Dimes minted in Philadelphia did not have a mint mark while coins minted in San Francisco will have an "S" mint mark and coins minted in Denver will have a "D" mint mark. [38], Few varieties are known in the Mercury dime series. So, Where is the Mint Mark on Mercury Dimes? It should be noted that during the period from 1916 to 1945 there were pauses in its minting, as in 1932 and 1933, due to the Great Depression. For reference, we can take this 1941 Mercury Dime Full Bands from the Denver Mint, with a conservation quality MS68, which sold for $1,320 at the prestigious Heritage Auctions auction house in 2021. 90% Silver - The coin shown in the photos is the exact coin you'll receive. The value of a 1941 Mercury Dime PROOF is between $160 and $300. An overall sharp look remains because of finer lines visible. Mint officials were under the misapprehension that the designs had to be changed, and held a competition among three sculptors, in which Barber, who had been in his position for 36years, also took part. All three horizontal band are well defined from the vertical lines. San Francisco contributed just over 440 million Mercury dimes. Mercury Dimes were minted from 1916 to 1945. Distinct waves show in Liberty's hair above her forehead. Mint marks can be found on the reverse of Mercury Dimes, which were issued from 1916 to 1945, in the lower-left corner of the field by the rim, just to the right of the "E" in "ONE," and beneath the main portion of the olive branch. With none of the new designs ready for production, and small change in great demand, the Mint had no alternative other than to strike Barber dimes and quarters by the million. Most of their value is based on the coin'ssilver melt value for lower-grade circulated coins. Later issues of the teens and twenties are also elusive. If you want to take it a step further and professionally grade your mercury dimes, there are organizations like the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) that will do it for a fee. Another aspect that makes the Mercury Dime unique is its composition. On the reverse we find right in the center some fasces, a Roman symbol that represents unity and strength, since it is made up of many rods joined together, which gives us to understand that the strength is born from this union. This had been an ongoing problem as Weinman's design was produced, but was thought to have been corrected. Variations in value do occur subject to subtle grading points, collector demands and dealer needs. Just on the opposite side of the bust, the year of issue of the coin, 1941, below the anagram with the name of the designer, Adolph Alexander Weinman. Keep in mind that only a few dates in the series came with proof coins, but it was not the case with coins struck in 1929. Lettering is complete and separate of the rim. His successor was the 72-year-old Morgan, who had served under Barber for his entire tenure. [49] The remainder, which included about as many as 8,000 to 9,000 coins that were unsold or returned to the mint from prior sales, were offered for sale on December 15, 2016, with a limit of one per customer, and sold out within 90 minutes. 1941 Mercury dime. Current Silver Bullion Value: $1.50. The Valuable Mint Marks You will also want to look at your Mercury Dime to see where it was minted. The fewer marks, brightness of luster, beauty of toning, and fullness of strike all have a role in determining Mercury dime values. The coin's mint mark Mercury dimes were minted in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. Key elements of the design are judged and depending on the amount of remaining detail, an accurate grade is assigned. Von Engelken authorized Joyce to produce coinage dies on October 6, and the new coins were put into production. Better 1925-D Mercury Silver Dime - TOUGH . [42], Although no 1923 or 1930 dimes were struck at Denver, specimens appearing to be 1923-D or 1930-D dimes may be encountered. The name comes from the depiction of a young Liberty wearing a winged cap on the obverse, reminiscent of the Roman god Mercury. As for the Mercury Dime, the story behind the AW leads to no scintillating conspiracy theories as was long associated with the JS initials on the Roosevelt Dime, nor are there any super rarities associated with Weinmans monogram as there are key dates in the Lincoln Cent series connected back to the initials of that coins famed designer, Victor David Brenner. On March 3, 1916, Mint Dir. Leaves over the vertical lines remain outlined with no merging, a small but important detail. Place of minting: San Francisco Year of minting: 1945 Face Value: $0.10 (ten cents) Price: $2.22 to $4.70 (circulated condition) Quantity produced: 41,920,000 Designer: Adolph Alexander Weinman Composition: 90% Silver and 10% Copper Mass: 2.5 grams Diameter: 17.9 millimeters Photo Source: USA Coin Book These are approximate retailprices and wholesale values. A greater number than the two branch mints combined. You can trust professional services like PCGS or NGC for this. Look at the surface of the coin is there any discoloration or tarnishing? Starting at her cheek a flat area is smooth across her hair and wing. [43], Several Mercury dimes were flown into space on July 21, 1961, on the Mercury-Redstone 4 sub-orbital mission, the second manned flight of Project Mercury and the second human space flight by the United States. During the series, coins were produced at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints. depending on how nice the mint state condition. In this article, you are going to learn everything you need to know about the mercury dime, from how to appraise one, to how to properly store and protect your collection. In extremely fine condition the value is around $3.25. Despite its name, the figure on the obverse is not actually meant to be Mercury, but rather a young Liberty. Mercury dimes are a popular series to collect amongst coin collectors. Mercury Dime 10C Face Value: $0.10. A bundle of rods tied around an axe; whose meaning is strength through unity. Professional Coin Grading Services is a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. 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Still, the story behind the Mercury Dime and complexity of this timeless series are compelling enough to captivate numismatists and lure them down the colorful path of studying these coins in greater detail often inspiring them to build competitive Registry Sets featuring this beloved silver coin. AT&T complained that the new dimes were too thick and would not work in their phones. Listings on the chart in the $1.51 comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment More posts you may like. We have since 1916 to forge an extensive collection. The Last Circulating British Halfpenny of 1967, Legend Rare Coin Auctions and Central States Numismatic Society Announce New Auction Relationship for 2021 Convention. By 1916, the dime, quarter, and half dollar designed by Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber had been struck for 25years, and could be replaced by the Treasury, of which the Mint is a part, without Congressional authorization. Category: Mercury Dimes Mint: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mintage: 37,662,000 Obverse Designer: Adolph A. Weinman Reverse Designer: Adolph A. Weinman Composition: 90% Silver and 10% Copper Fineness: 0.9 Weight: 2.5g ASW: 0.0723oz 1927 Mercury Dime Value Chart A mere 264,000 were minted, and without a doubt, even fewer exist today. All traces of diagonal and horizontal bands are flattened and missing. These are companies dedicated to evaluating and awarding a score to our coins according to their condition. [24], Weinman's dime depicts Liberty with a wreath of tight curls, and wearing a traditional pileus, or Liberty cap. The price of proof coins is usually higher than for normal coins, except for certain exceptional specimens, i.e. $69.00. Second large market in Mercury dimes are the bullion quality coins. Vertical lines of the rods are beginning to show flatness but remain completely separated. This fact alone can help you to properly identify an authentic 1916-D Mercury Dime. [10][37], The death of President Franklin Roosevelt in April 1945 brought immediate calls for a coin to be issued with his image. Mercury Dime, 1916 10C Mercury, FB, PCGS MS68FB. r/coins Picked up a very colorful end roller. These initials are found on all Mercury dimes. Its in great condition. This makes it a great piece for anyone looking to start or expand their collection. Since 1916, succeeding the previous Dime, the Barber (1892-1916), the Mercury Dime began to be minted. The highest mintages occurred later in the series when several issues had production of more than 100 million. Look for these mint errors on your silver Mercury dimes. 1918 D Mercury Dime. Mercury dime series was minted from 1916 through 1945, with many of the early years now premium coins. These coins are composed of 90% silver and 10% copper and are decorated with reed edges, just like the other dimes that preceded them. Liberty cheek is full with high and low areas defining her cheek, jaw, and eye brow. Just to the left of the olive stem at the bottom of the coin along the rim look for the "D" mark. Obverse: Features Identifying the Fine Grade: Wear has created areas of the surface appearing both heavily worn and moderately worn. Horizontal bands tying the rods are now smooth, lacking any center line. With the economy beginning to pick up again, coinage resumed in 1934, and the dime was struck in large numbers each year through the end of the series. Answer: It's actually not a mint mark, but a very prominent display of the designer's initials - Adolph A. Weinman. In 1916 the Treasury Department conducted a design competition to replace the stoic design of the Barber dime that had been minted since 1892. [27] Woolley described the design in his 1916 report to the Secretary of the Treasury: The design of the dime, owing to the smallness of the coin, has been held quite simple. Notable low mintage years are 1921 and 1930. Remember, a coin's condition cannot be improved by cleaning it. As illustrated in the photo in the link below, themint markis located on thereverseof the coin,near the bottom at the stem of the oak branch. Last is San Francisco, which minted 49,490,000 dimes. While the Mercury Dime was never minted at the West Point Mint, which opened in 1937 as a bullion depository, the classic coin was produced at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints. Video details the process used to grade the condition of Mercury dimes. An important fact you should know is that the D mint mark punch used on the 1916-D Mercury Dime is also the same mint mark used on the 1914-D Lincoln Cent. It is popularly known as the Mercury Dime even today, despite noble but ill-fated attempts by some publications to reverse this error. All coins bearing the "CC" mintmark are considered scarce by collectors today. Where is the mint mark on a 1936 Mercury dime? Majority of wing outline remains defined and recognizable from the cap areas below. This is why it is not a bad idea to resort to a TPG (Third Party Grading Service). Anatomy of a Mercury Dime Mercury (Winged Liberty) Dime Prices Remember, these prices are estimates. We do our best to provide precise spot prices; however, during times of market volatility, prices may not be to-the-minute accurate. There were no dimes issued in 1922, 1932, and 1933. Since it was first minted in 1916 and continued through 1945, the mercury dime was produced during both World Wars. https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/339 In circulation, the reverse tended to more readily display wear due to a lower rim in relation to the relief of the design. For more background information, see how value listings in the Coin Value Guide are determined. Type: Mercury Dime. However, that is not the only reason why collectors covet these coins. [1], The Barber coinage had been introduced in 1892; similar dimes, quarter dollars, and half dollars, all designed by Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber. [23] A lawyer and insurance executive, Wallace Stevens later became famous as a poet; Wallace and Elsie Stevens rented an apartment from Weinman from 1909 to 1916. The winged Liberty is widely believed, however, to have been based on a 1913 bust Weinman sculpted of Elsie Stevens, wife of Wallace Stevens. This can be done any time in the year. The first year of production was 1916. Values normally range from $4.28 For example, coins graded MS-65 or higher can sell for thousands of dollars. Collecting mercury dimes can be a fun and rewarding hobby the thrill of the hunt for rare finds, the admiration of their historical significance and beauty, and potentially profit from sales. Buya Merchants get the highest marks in delivery . Depending on taste and budget, we can even incorporate some variants, or Full Bands versions, making the budget multiply by two. Type: Mercury Dime Edge: Reeded Mint mark: No mint mark (P) Place of minting: Philadelphia Year of minting: 1929 Face value: $0.10 $ price: $2.50 to $11,450 Quantity produced: 25,970,000 Designer: Adolph A. Weinman At 25 million coins, the Philadelphia issue of the 1929 dime is the highest mintage for that year. Identified by the little wings at the side of Mercury's head, these dimes were produced primarily from 1916 to 1945. Obverse: Features Identifying Mint State Grade: An uncirculated - mint state - coin must not show any evidence of wear to the surface. Since these errors are hard to spot, its not uncommon for counterfeiters to try to pass off fake errors as the real deal. Over the life of the series production was interrupted a few years notably; 1922, 1932, and 1933 when no dimes by any of the mints were struck. [5] Following the redesign of the double eagle, eagle, half eagle and quarter eagle in 1907 and 1908, as well as the penny and nickel redesigns of 1909 and 1913 respectively, advocates of replacing the Barber coins began to push for the change when the coins' minimum term expired in 1916.