Mercury Dimes 1916-1945

About This Series

Adolph Weinman's Winged Liberty Head dime — universally known as the "Mercury" dime for Liberty's winged cap's resemblance to the Roman messenger god — ranks among the most artistically acclaimed designs in American coinage. The 1916-D anchors the series as its undisputed key date, with only 264,000 struck at Denver, making it one of the most counterfeited coins in numismatics. Full Split Bands (FSB) on the reverse fasces — where the horizontal bands binding the bundled rods show complete separation — command dramatic premiums. The series spans three decades encompassing both World Wars, the Roaring Twenties, and the Great Depression, with the 1931-D and 1931-S seeing production of just 1.26 and 1.8 million respectively. Struck in 90% silver at 2.50 grams, the 17.9mm Mercury dime circulated alongside Weinman's own Walking Liberty half dollar, giving him the distinction of designing two concurrent circulating denominations. The fasces reverse — a bundle of rods symbolizing strength through unity — carried Roman republican imagery that complemented the classical obverse. Collectors pursue Mercury dimes from affordable circulated date sets to the challenging quest for gem-quality FSB examples across all dates and mints.

Series Information