The Winged Liberty "Mercury" Dime

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 over $50.00 per ounce. Some say it is headed that high again. Read on...

The Mercury Dime - A Brief History

The Mercury Dime is "officially" known as the Winged Liberty Head Dime. The wings crowning Liberty's cap 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 Mercury Dimes: Denver; Philadelphia; and, San Francisco. As with any silver (and gold) coins, some are more valuable than others due in part to low mintage/scarcity (as well as condition and demand). Here are the...

Five Lowest Minted Mercury Dimes**

1916D - 264,000; 1921D - 1,080,000; 1921 - 1,230,000;
1931D - 1,260,000; 1926S - 1,520,000.

** Circulated coins in even fair condition may fetch a 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 fair condition may be worth several hundred dollars.

The Mercury Dime - More Details

The Mercury 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). Mercury Dime Mint Mark Location

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 coins contain .0723 Troy ounces of pure silver (2.25 grams) with a gross weight of .08 Troy ounces (2.50 grams). Circulated Mercury 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 sometimes 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: $17.00 x .0715 = $1.2155

Mercury Dimes on eBay

If you decide to invest in Mercury Dimes, don't overlook eBay auctions. Here you will find circulated coins sold in quantities of one, in small lots or even entire collections. If you bid on one or more auctions, keep in mind that approximately 14 dimes equal one ounce of silver and use that as a guide when bidding. Of course, auctions for uncirculated Mercury Dimes (MS60 and higher) will fetch a higher price.

If you don't have an eBay account, it is free to set one up - just click on any auction below, look for "register" in the upper left-hand corner (by the eBay logo) and click it to get started.

For your convenience, I have included a number of Mercury Dime auctions closest to expiration below. Stop back often to check on the latest auctions, you might be able to pick up some nice coins at a decent price.

If you see an auction you want to bid on, you will want to check on the seller's eBay "reputation" before you bid. On the auction page, look for "Meet the seller" on the right-hand side (toward the top). There you will see the seller ID followed by a number in parenthesis. The higher that transaction number + high positive feedback (95% or better), the "safer" your bid will be.

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.

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