| The year was 1915 and there was a
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| | As with many coins of the times,
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| movement afoot to change the remainder of
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| | Philadelphia was the main producer of
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| American coinage. With the changes to the
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| | coins while Denver and San Francisco were
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| $10 eagle, $20 double eagle, the cent and
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| | generally much lower than Philadelphia.
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| nickel, it was now time for changes to
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| | For the entire series, Philadelphia
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| the dime, quarter and half dollar. Under
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| | produced 65.9% of all dimes, Denver
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| 1890 law, changes could not be made to a
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| | produced 17.8% of all dimes while San
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| coin design without approval from
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| | Francisco produced 16.3%, clearly making
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| congress more frequently than every 25
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| | mint marked dimes a little tougher to
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| years. The Barber coinage (dime, quarter
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| | get.
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| and half dollar) was to reach that mark
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| | Production totals exceed 50 million on 6
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| in 1916 and the mint wasted no time in
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| | times prior to 1940 but never going over
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| making the changes, in fact starting the
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| | 67 million (1939). This totals far
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| process before 1916.
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| | exceeded production of the Barber dime
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| In 1915, US Mint Director Robert W.
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| | but pail in comparison to the later years
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| Woolley offered the opportunity to three
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| | of the Mercury dime. In 1941 production
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| noted sculptors, Adolph A Weinman, Albin
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| | totals skyrocketed with Philadelphia
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| Polasek and Herman A. MacNeil to prepare
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| | producing 175 million dimes. For the last
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| designs for three silver coins. Outside
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| | four years of production, totals never
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| artists, not chief engraver Charles
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| | fell below 159 million. A total of 2.6
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| Barber, supplied designs for the previous
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| | billion dimes were produced with over
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| six changes and Woolley felt this was a
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| | half, 56% being produced during the last
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| great option. By 1916, Barber was 75
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| | 5 years with the last four coinciding
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| years old but had a track record of being
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| | with WWII. An amazing statistic
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| hostile to outside artists designing
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| | considering the Mercury dime was in
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| coins he thought he should be designing.
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| | production for 30 years. Of course many
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| With three new designs, all replacing
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| | of those years were during the depression
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| coins Barber himself had designed, it
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| | where coin production was low for all
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| could have gotten unpleasant. The records
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| | denominations.
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| suggest Barber was on his best behavior.
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| | When grading Mercury dimes, the grading
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| In this case it seems he just stepped
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| | criteria changes somewhat in Mint State
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| aside and let his assistant George T.
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| | coins. Coins what are fully struck have
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| Morgan, who had designed the Morgan
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| | what is called Full Split Bands (FSB).
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| dollar, do all the work. Maybe Barber
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| | This is in reference to the fasces where
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| finally just gave up or was too old too
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| | there are clear and fully defined
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| fight anymore or just recognized the
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| | horizontal bands with separation between
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| beauty in the designs. Barber died in
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| | them. Mint State coins with this
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| February 1917 and was replaced by Morgan.
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| | definition will command premiums over
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| It is assumed that Woolley intended to
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| | their counterparts without this
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| award a different coin to each person. It
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| | designation.
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| may not have been planned this way, but
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| | Key/Semi Key Dates
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| Weinman ended up getting two of his
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| | Clearly, from a non-variety perspective,
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| designs as the winning designs. One being
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| | the 1916-D is the toughest and most
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| what would become known as the Walking
| |
| | expensive coin to obtain. Although not
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| Liberty Half and the Mercury Dime.
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| | the rarest, is perhaps the most famous
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| MacNeil won the design for the quarter
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| | dime in U.S history. Typically, first
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| with Polasek getting shut out.
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| | year issues are heavily hoarded and
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| Adolph A. Weinman was born in Germany and
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| | collected by the public which typically
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| came to the US at the age of 10 in 1880.
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| | preserves many coins. Not so with the
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| He was a student of well known sculptor
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| | 1916-d as its rarity initially went
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| Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Saint-Gaudens is
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| | unnoticed. With millions of coins coming
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| also credited with some truly outstanding
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| | from Philadelphia and San Francisco, the
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| coin designs. By 1915 when the design
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| | public had not noticed that very few had
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| process began, Weinman was widely
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| | the Denver mint mark. This is easily
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| celebrated as one of the nation's best
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| | determined by the fact that so many
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| sculptors.
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| | 1916-D dimes are available in such low
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| The design of the Mercury dime is that of
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| | grades as so many of them circulated for
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| a "Winged Liberty" and is based on a bust
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| | more than 30 years. Another clear example
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| that Weinman did in 1913 of Elsie Kachel
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| | is the stunning amount of 1916-D dimes
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| Stevens, wife of well-known poet Wallace
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| | discovered in the "New York Subway
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| Stevens, who happened to be tenants of a
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| | Hoard". The collectors of this hoard did
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| New York City apartment building owned by
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| | not begin collecting until the 1940's.
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| Weinman. The winged cap was to symbolize
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| | More than 25 years after the release of
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| freedom of thought. The reverse of the
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| | the 1916-D yet 251 examples of this
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| coin depicts the fasces, an ancient
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| | special coin were in the hoard.
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| symbol of authority, with a battle-ax at
| |
| | Coins in the lowest grade of FA2 or G3
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| the top to represent preparedness and an
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| | will cost upwards of $500.00 and the
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| olive branch beside it to signify love
| |
| | prices only go up from there. A VG8 is
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| and peace and authority.
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| | typically priced at $1300.00. While this
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| Production and release of the new dimes
| |
| | coin is indeed pricey, it is readily
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| was delayed until later in the year of
| |
| | available from many dealers.
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| 1916 as the dies were not quite ready.
| |
| | The second key of the series is the
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| The Philadelphia and San Francisco mint
| |
| | 1921-D followed closely by the 1921-P.
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| produced Barber dimes much of 1916 to
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| | Both of these coins had mintages of just
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| meet demand while Denver ceased producing
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| | over 1 million. Both of these coins will
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| Barber dimes in 1914. Once the dies were
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| | cost over $50 for a G/VG grade.
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| complete, production began with both
| |
| | From here, the cost of individual coins
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| Philadelphia and San Francisco cranking
| |
| | drops dramatically as the next semi-keys
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| out millions of dimes. Denver though
| |
| | are 1926-S and 1931-D. Both of these can
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| produced a mere 264,000 making the 1916-D
| |
| | be had for under $10.00 in low grades.
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| an instant rarity.
| |
| | A note about low grades: While you can
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| Shortly after the dime began circulating,
| |
| | obtain these rarities in low grades, eye
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| many people began calling it a "Mercury
| |
| | appeal is NOT their strong point. Coins
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| dime" due to the wings on the cap.
| |
| | in AG-G condition typically show the date
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| Mercury is the Roman god of trade,
| |
| | partial date and mint. It is generally
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| property and wealth as well as messenger
| |
| | tough to make out details in the coins as
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| to the other gods. The hat, called a
| |
| | they are well worn. I quote prices in G4
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| Petasus, is similar to that worn my
| |
| | as to give you an idea of what minimum
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| messengers during the time when Mercury
| |
| | prices are for keys and semi-keys. Prime
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| was worshipped. Mercury gained his speed
| |
| | examples in the coins noted above can run
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| from his wings. Although not the original
| |
| | into the 10's of thousands of dollars.
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| and intended name for the new time, the
| |
| | While the 1945-P coin is readily
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| term Mercury stuck and that is what it is
| |
| | available in all grades, FSB specimens
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| known as today.
| |
| | are extremely rare. Many common dates of
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| The Mercury dime served Americans through
| |
| | the 1940's have dozens of coins graded in
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| two world wars ending its run in 1945.
| |
| | the MS-67 range while the 1945-P
|
| With the death of Franklin Delano
| |
| | currently has only 3 certified PCGS
|
| Roosevelt in 1945, there was a strong
| |
| | coins.
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| movement to honor the president and in
| |
| | Errors
|
| 1946 the Roosevelt dime began production
| |
| | Perhaps the best know error in the
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| and is still used today.
| |
| | Mercury series is the 1942/1 overdate.
|
| Collectibility
| |
| | These were produced at both Denver and
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| General
| |
| | Philadelphia with the Philadelphia
|
| The Mercury dime is a wonderful coin for
| |
| | variety having popularity near the
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| both experienced and beginning collectors
| |
| | 1916-D. In the lowest grades these coins
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| and is the most popular collected series
| |
| | will cost over $500.00 and will be hard
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| in its denomination. A complete set
| |
| | to distinguish the error. It would be
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| including all keys can be had for under
| |
| | suggested to purchase these through a
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| $1500.00 but the keys will be in very bad
| |
| | well known dealer and/or buying only
|
| condition. A nicer set with all coins
| |
| | certified coins of this error.
|
| graded at least G4 including keys can
| |
| | The other well known variety occurred in
|
| cost upwards of $2000.00 or more. If you
| |
| | 1945 and that was a change in the size of
|
| want to establish a year collection, you
| |
| | the mint mark on San Francisco coins.
|
| can avoid the big cost of the 1916-D but
| |
| | Called "Micro S", many 1945 dated coins
|
| you still will need to shell out $50 or
| |
| | have a smaller "S" mint mark and sell for
|
| more for a 1921 dated dime. Both mints, P
| |
| | a slight premium over regular "S" coins.
|
| or D (San Francisco did not produce any)
| |
| | Proofs
|
| are considered keys. All other dates
| |
| | Proof Mercury dimes are quite beautiful.
|
| should be easily obtained. Many people
| |
| | They were only produced for seven years,
|
| collect what is called a short set
| |
| | from 1936 to 1942. A complete set in
|
| consisting of all mints and years from
| |
| | PR-65 condition would cost around
|
| 1934 to 1945 or 1941 to 1945. A short set
| |
| | $5000.00
|
| of BU specimens from 1941 is 1945 is
| |
| | Vital Statistics Summary
|
| quite attractive.
| |
| | Key Coin Info
|
| Taking the three keys (discussed in a
| |
| | Designed by: Adolph A. Weinman
|
| bit) out of the equation, all dates and
| |
| | Issue dates: 1916-1945
|
| mints can be had for under $10.00 in G4
| |
| | Composition: 0.900 part silver, 0.100
|
| condition with the majority of them under
| |
| | part copper
|
| $3.00. Most coins after 1940 can be had
| |
| | Diameter: 17.9 mm
|
| for under $1.00 in pretty decent grades.
| |
| | Weight: 38.
|
