However, as with other areas of the coin market, grade is everything. However, most of the other regular-strike coins in the series are remarkably common and can be bought in lower circulated grades for little above their melt value. The series key is the 1916-D dime, while the 19-D issues serve as notable semi-keys. The Mercury dime series consists of 77 regular-strike coins, at least three significant varieties, and seven proof issues. Yet they have never lost their appeal with coin collectors, many of whom cut their teeth plucking obsolete Mercury dimes from pocket change and bank rolls in the 1950s and ‘60s, placing them in folders and albums. By 1965 the copper-nickel clad era began, and Mercury dimes quickly became rare sightings in everyday commerce. Mercury dimes were issued by the United States Mint from 1916 through 1945 and largely remained in circulation until the early 1960s, when bullion hoarders began removing 90% silver coins from circulation. And, in recent months, the series made headlines when one of the nicest collections of Mercury dimes ever assembled crossed the auction block and broke records. The Winged Liberty Head dime, more commonly known as the “Mercury” dime due to Miss Liberty’s resemblance on the coin to the Roman god of the same name, still wins over countless new and seasoned collectors today. These 90% silver dimes, which bear an obverse portrait of Miss Liberty donning a winged Phrygian cap and a reverse design incorporating fasces wrapped within an olive branch, have been collected by countless hobbyists since the coin’s earliest days.

Whether or not the story is based in fact, it is possible there are more examples of this super valuable dime that passed into circulation and have yet to be discovered.At least since the advent of coin boards in the 1930s and coin folders in the 1940s, Mercury dimes have been a staple for American coin collectors. On her way home from the mint on a hot day, she spent one of the three for ice cream. Legend says that the San Francisco Mint superintendent, knowing the coin would be exceptionally rare, gave three of them to his daughter to keep. There's a charming story about this coin that may or may not be true. Although it was a proof coin, a few ended up in circulation, including one that showed up in 1957 at Gimbels Department Store in New York City. The dime features Lady Liberty in profile on the front and a wreath on the back with 'One Dime' stamped in the center.

A proof copy of a coin they didn't end up minting that year, there were originally 24 struck. One of the rarest US coins in existence according PCGS Coin Trackers, the 1894-S Barber dime has only nine known examples today.

Mercury dime 1942 d