Whitman Expo
1916 Mercury Dime MS Values
Details
The 1916 Mercury dime is a high-demand coin among both Mercury dime enthusiasts and type collectors, with the latter gravitating toward this issue because it’s a first-year coin for the series. This piece is generally found well struck, with the horizontal crossbands on the reverse exhibiting strong, complete strike. While not as available in uncirculated grades as issues from the mid 1930s on, the 1916 Philadelphia Mercury dime is one of the most common pre-1934 issues to be found in Mint State grades and is widely available with Full Bands details. That is in part because so many people saved this first-year Mercury dime issue when it was still new.
This coin is made of 90% silver; 10% copper and has a current melt value of $4.39
Obverse: Winged Liberty, or Mercury (the Roman god of commerce), is depicted facing left with LIBERTY spelled around the periphery. IN GOD WE TRUST appears left of the neck and the date is positioned just below the bust around 5 o'clock. The designer's initials "AW" appear to the right of the neck.
Reverse: A large torch is centered vertically adorned with an axe head and olive branches. UNITED STATES OF AMERICAN * ONE DIME * is spelled out around the periphery. Mint mark, if any, appears near the bottom rim left of the torch.
Mint & Coinage Details
Mint Location:
Philadelphia
Mintage:
22,180,080
Coinage Type:
Winged liberty head (Mercury) dime
Coinage Years:
1916-1945
Composition:
90% silver; 10% copper
Varieties and Classification
Variety:
Mercury
Physical Characteristics
Fineness:
0.9
Weight:
2.5 gr
Weight:
0.08 oz
Precious Metal Weight:
0.0723 oz
Strike Type:
Business
Diameter:
17.9 mm
Coin Shape:
Round
Design Details
Designer:
Adolph A. Weinman
Obverse Lettering:
LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, W, 1916
Obverse Designer:
Adolph A. Weinman
Reverse Lettering:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, ONE DIME
Reverse Designer:
Adolph A. Weinman
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