The Winged Liberty "Mercury" Dime
You will find valuable buying and selling information on Mercury Dimes and 11 other popular U.S. silver coins in my eBook The Last US 90 Percent Silver Coins. **Now available in paperback**
Don't let the Mercury Dime's size fool you. In 1980, this silver coin could buy a gallon of gas. It wasn't because gas was so cheap. It was because silver was at an all-time high, reaching almost $50.00 per ounce. Some say it is headed that high again. Read on...
The Silver Mercury Dime - A Brief History
Officially known as the Winged Liberty Head Dime, the wings crowning Liberty's cap on the obverse are meant to symbolize liberty of thought. Designed by Adolph A. Weinman, this popular coin was minted from 1916 through 1945.
A total of three U. S. Mints were involved in the production of
this popular coin: Denver;
Philadelphia; and, San
Francisco. As with any silver (and gold) coins, some are
more valuable than others due to low mintage/scarcity, condition,
demand, etc. Here are...
Five Valuable, Low Mintage Mercury Dimes**
1921 - 1,230,000; 1931D - 1,260,000;
1926S - 1,520,000.
** Circulated coins in even fair condition may fetch a large premium price over spot silver due to the low mintage (and therefore rarity) of these coins. The 1916D is especially valuable. A circulated 1916D in just fair condition may be worth several hundred dollars.
The Mercury Dime - More Details
This dime features an image of a Winged Liberty 
Head on the obverse side with a fasces
and olive branch on the reverse (fasces:
a bundle of white birch rods bound together around an ax with
the blade projecting, carried before ancient Roman magistrates
as an emblem of authority). The mint mark appears on the
reverse, to the left of the fasces. Mint marks are "D"
for Denver and "S" for the
San Francisco Mints. If no mint mark appears, it was minted in
Philadelphia.
Mercury Dimes are 90% silver and 10% copper. Uncirculated dimes contain .0723 Troy ounces of pure silver (2.25 grams) with a gross weight of .08 Troy ounces (2.50 grams). Circulated dimes are considered to contain .0715 Troy ounces of pure silver (2.2239 grams) due to the "wear factor" in handling these coins. Circulated silver coins are often referred to as "junk silver" but don't believe it.
To determine the silver (melt) value of
a circulated Mercury Dime, multiply the current spot price of
silver times .0715.
Example: $25.00 x .0715 = $1.7875
Mercury Dimes on Amazon
One place to buy these dimes is at your local coin shop, but
don't overlook Amazon. Here you will find
circulated and uncirculated coins sold in quantities of one or in
small lots.
If you decide to invest in circulated silver dimes, keep in mind that approximately 14 dimes equal one ounce of silver and use that as a buying guide. Of course, circulated dimes in excellent condition as well as uncirculated dimes (graded MS60 and higher) will fetch a higher price than those having common dates and in just fair condition.
Dimes like these are great in barter situations. You would be wise to have some in your possession. If you are ready to shop for Merc dimes after reading the above material, click on this Amazon link Buying Coins and click on the Mercury Dime icon at the top of the site. You will see what coins are available and their asking price. Be aware I receive a small compensation if you buy through this site which does not result in you paying more.
Disclaimer: I have
made every reasonable effort to produce an informative and
helpful article on Mercury Dimes based on my research and
experiences. However, I make no representation or warranties of
any kind with regard to its completeness, accuracy or
suitability for any specific situation or purpose. See Terms and
Conditions for more info.