| History of the Mercury Dime
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| | produced 65.9% of all dimes, Denver
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| The year was 1915 and there was a
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| | produced 17.8% of all dimes while San
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| movement afoot to change the remainder of
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| | Francisco produced 16.3%, clearly making
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| American coinage. With the changes to the
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| | mint marked dimes a little tougher to
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| $10 eagle, $20 double eagle, the cent and
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| | get.
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| nickel, it was now time for changes to
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| | Production totals exceed 50 million on 6
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| the dime, quarter and half dollar. Under
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| | times prior to 1940 but never going over
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| 1890 law, changes could not be made to a
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| | 67 million (1939). This totals far
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| coin design without approval from
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| | exceeded production of the Barber dime
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| congress more frequently than every 25
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| | but pail in comparison to the later years
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| years. The Barber coinage (dime, quarter
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| | of the Mercury dime. In 1941 production
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| and half dollar) was to reach that mark
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| | totals skyrocketed with Philadelphia
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| in 1916 and the mint wasted no time in
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| | producing 175 million dimes. For the last
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| making the changes, in fact starting the
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| | four years of production, totals never
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| process before 1916.
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| | fell below 159 million. A total of 2.6
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| In 1915, US Mint Director Robert W.
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| | billion dimes were produced with over
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| Woolley offered the opportunity to three
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| | half, 56% being produced during the last
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| noted sculptors, Adolph A Weinman, Albin
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| | 5 years with the last four coinciding
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| Polasek and Herman A. MacNeil to prepare
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| | with WWII. An amazing statistic
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| designs for three silver coins. Outside
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| | considering the Mercury dime was in
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| artists, not chief engraver Charles
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| | production for 30 years. Of course many
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| Barber, supplied designs for the previous
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| | of those years were during the depression
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| six changes and Woolley felt this was a
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| | where coin production was low for all
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| great option. By 1916, Barber was 75
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| | denominations.
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| years old but had a track record of being
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| | When grading Mercury dimes, the grading
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| hostile to outside artists designing
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| | criteria changes somewhat in Mint State
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| coins he thought he should be designing.
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| | coins. Coins what are fully struck have
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| With three new designs, all replacing
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| | what is called Full Split Bands (FSB).
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| coins Barber himself had designed, it
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| | This is in reference to the fasces where
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| could have gotten unpleasant. The records
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| | there are clear and fully defined
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| suggest Barber was on his best behavior.
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| | horizontal bands with separation between
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| In this case it seems he just stepped
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| | them. Mint State coins with this
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| aside and let his assistant George T.
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| | definition will command premiums over
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| Morgan, who had designed the Morgan
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| | their counterparts without this
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| dollar, do all the work. Maybe Barber
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| | designation.
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| finally just gave up or was too old too
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| | Key/Semi Key Dates
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| fight anymore or just recognized the
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| | Clearly, from a non-variety perspective,
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| beauty in the designs. Barber died in
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| | the 1916-D is the toughest and most
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| February 1917 and was replaced by Morgan.
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| | expensive coin to obtain. Although not
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| It is assumed that Woolley intended to
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| | the rarest, is perhaps the most famous
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| award a different coin to each person. It
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| | dime in U.S history. Typically, first
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| may not have been planned this way, but
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| | year issues are heavily hoarded and
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| Weinman ended up getting two of his
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| | collected by the public which typically
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| designs as the winning designs. One being
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| | preserves many coins. Not so with the
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| what would become known as the Walking
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| | 1916-d as its rarity initially went
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| Liberty Half and the Mercury Dime.
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| | unnoticed. With millions of coins coming
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| MacNeil won the design for the quarter
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| | from Philadelphia and San Francisco, the
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| with Polasek getting shut out.
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| | public had not noticed that very few had
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| Adolph A. Weinman was born in Germany and
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| | the Denver mint mark. This is easily
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| came to the US at the age of 10 in 1880.
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| | determined by the fact that so many
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| He was a student of well known sculptor
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| | 1916-D dimes are available in such low
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| Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Saint-Gaudens is
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| | grades as so many of them circulated for
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| also credited with some truly outstanding
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| | more than 30 years. Another clear example
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| coin designs. By 1915 when the design
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| | is the stunning amount of 1916-D dimes
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| process began, Weinman was widely
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| | discovered in the "New York Subway
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| celebrated as one of the nation's best
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| | Hoard". The collectors of this hoard did
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| sculptors.
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| | not begin collecting until the 1940's.
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| The design of the Mercury dime is that of
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| | More than 25 years after the release of
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| a "Winged Liberty" and is based on a bust
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| | the 1916-D yet 251 examples of this
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| that Weinman did in 1913 of Elsie Kachel
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| | special coin were in the hoard.
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| Stevens, wife of well-known poet Wallace
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| | Coins in the lowest grade of FA2 or G3
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| Stevens, who happened to be tenants of a
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| | will cost upwards of $500.00 and the
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| New York City apartment building owned by
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| | prices only go up from there. A VG8 is
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| Weinman. The winged cap was to symbolize
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| | typically priced at $1300.00. While this
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| freedom of thought. The reverse of the
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| | coin is indeed pricey, it is readily
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| coin depicts the fasces, an ancient
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| | available from many dealers.
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| symbol of authority, with a battle-ax at
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| | The second key of the series is the
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| the top to represent preparedness and an
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| | 1921-D followed closely by the 1921-P.
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| olive branch beside it to signify love
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| | Both of these coins had mintages of just
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| and peace and authority.
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| | over 1 million. Both of these coins will
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| Production and release of the new dimes
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| | cost over $50 for a G/VG grade.
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| was delayed until later in the year of
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| | From here, the cost of individual coins
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| 1916 as the dies were not quite ready.
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| | drops dramatically as the next semi-keys
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| The Philadelphia and San Francisco mint
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| | are 1926-S and 1931-D. Both of these can
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| produced Barber dimes much of 1916 to
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| | be had for under $10.00 in low grades.
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| meet demand while Denver ceased producing
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| | A note about low grades: While you can
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| Barber dimes in 1914. Once the dies were
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| | obtain these rarities in low grades, eye
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| complete, production began with both
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| | appeal is NOT their strong point. Coins
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| Philadelphia and San Francisco cranking
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| | in AG-G condition typically show the date
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| out millions of dimes. Denver though
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| | partial date and mint. It is generally
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| produced a mere 264,000 making the 1916-D
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| | tough to make out details in the coins as
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| an instant rarity.
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| | they are well worn. I quote prices in G4
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| Shortly after the dime began circulating,
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| | as to give you an idea of what minimum
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| many people began calling it a "Mercury
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| | prices are for keys and semi-keys. Prime
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| dime" due to the wings on the cap.
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| | examples in the coins noted above can run
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| Mercury is the Roman god of trade,
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| | into the 10's of thousands of dollars.
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| property and wealth as well as messenger
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| | While the 1945-P coin is readily
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| to the other gods. The hat, called a
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| | available in all grades, FSB specimens
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| Petasus, is similar to that worn my
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| | are extremely rare. Many common dates of
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| messengers during the time when Mercury
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| | the 1940's have dozens of coins graded in
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| was worshipped. Mercury gained his speed
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| | the MS-67 range while the 1945-P
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| from his wings. Although not the original
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| | currently has only 3 certified PCGS
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| and intended name for the new time, the
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| | coins.
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| term Mercury stuck and that is what it is
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| | Errors
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| known as today.
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| | Perhaps the best know error in the
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| The Mercury dime served Americans through
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| | Mercury series is the 1942/1 overdate.
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| two world wars ending its run in 1945.
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| | These were produced at both Denver and
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| With the death of Franklin Delano
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| | Philadelphia with the Philadelphia
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| Roosevelt in 1945, there was a strong
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| | variety having popularity near the
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| movement to honor the president and in
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| | 1916-D. In the lowest grades these coins
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| 1946 the Roosevelt dime began production
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| | will cost over $500.00 and will be hard
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| and is still used today.
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| | to distinguish the error. It would be
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| Collectibility
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| | suggested to purchase these through a
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| General
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| | well known dealer and/or buying only
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| The Mercury dime is a wonderful coin for
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| | certified coins of this error.
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| both experienced and beginning collectors
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| | The other well known variety occurred in
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| and is the most popular collected series
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| | 1945 and that was a change in the size of
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| in its denomination. A complete set
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| | the mint mark on San Francisco coins.
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| including all keys can be had for under
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| | Called "Micro S", many 1945 dated coins
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| $1500.00 but the keys will be in very bad
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| | have a smaller "S" mint mark and sell for
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| condition. A nicer set with all coins
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| | a slight premium over regular "S" coins.
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| graded at least G4 including keys can
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| | Proofs
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| cost upwards of $2000.00 or more. If you
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| | Proof Mercury dimes are quite beautiful.
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| want to establish a year collection, you
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| | They were only produced for seven years,
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| can avoid the big cost of the 1916-D but
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| | from 1936 to 1942. A complete set in
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| you still will need to shell out $50 or
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| | PR-65 condition would cost around
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| more for a 1921 dated dime. Both mints, P
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| | $5000.00
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| or D (San Francisco did not produce any)
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| | Vital Statistics Summary
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| are considered keys. All other dates
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| | Key Coin Info
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| should be easily obtained. Many people
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| | Designed by: Adolph A. Weinman
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| collect what is called a short set
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| | Issue dates: 1916-1945
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| consisting of all mints and years from
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| | Composition: 0.900 part silver, 0.100
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| 1934 to 1945 or 1941 to 1945. A short set
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| | part copper
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| of BU specimens from 1941 is 1945 is
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| | Diameter: 17.9 mm
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| quite attractive.
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| | Weight: 38.58 grains
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| Taking the three keys (discussed in a
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| | Edge: Reeded
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| bit) out of the equation, all dates and
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| | Business strike mintage: 2,677,153,880
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| mints can be had for under $10.00 in G4
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| | Proof mintage: 78,648
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| condition with the majority of them under
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| | Proof mintage: 17,353
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| $3.00. Most coins after 1940 can be had
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| | Keith Scott has been a collector for over
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| for under $1.00 in pretty decent grades.
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| | 30 years and owns a small internet-based
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| As with many coins of the times,
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| | coin store at
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| Philadelphia was the main producer of
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| | Visit his website for a history of US
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| coins while Denver and San Francisco were
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| | coins, metal market updates and news
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| generally much lower than Philadelphia.
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| | about your favorite coins.
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| For the entire series, Philadelphia
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