Home » Mercury Dime
Mercury Dime
Mercury Dime
Mercury Dime Coins are so named due to an interesting misconception. At the time, most people who saw the coin mistook the figure on the obverse side for Mercury, the Roman messenger god. No wonder, since a winged cap, or at least winged sandals, can be associated with that particular deity. However, the figure was actually (yet another representation of) Liberty. Mercury Dime coin’s designer, Adolph A. Weinman, gave Liberty a winged cap as a reflection of the ideal of freedom of thought, which many Americans prided themselves on having. As such, the coin’s proper name was the Winged Head Liberty Dime, but the name Mercury Dime is still more commonly used. It was replaced by Roosevelt Dime at the end.
The obverse side of Mercury Dime shows a left-facing profile of Liberty from the neck up. The figure has short hair and strong features, so it is no wonder that it was mistaken for a male god—despite the fact that it is surrounded by the word “Liberty.” People probably thought that the word just stood for itself, and had nothing to do with the figure. On the other side of mercury dime, one may see a battle-ax with an olive branch wrapped around it. These two images were supposed to reflect American attitudes towards war. While the young nation was prepared to fight if necessary, peace was considered preferable. It is possible that many Americans found the reverse side’s design particularly relevant, because the coin came out in the midst of the Great War, which the United States was to officially join the following year. Like previous dimes, the coin was made of nine parts silver and one part copper.
Mercury Dime Fair Market Values in U.S. Dollars (1916-1945)
| Date/Type | G4 | VG8 | F12 | VF20 | XF40 | AU50 | AU53 | AU55 | AU58 | MS60 | PR60
(Proof) |
| 1916 | $3 | $5 | $6 | $7 | $11 | $20 | $21 | $23 | $26 | $29 | -- |
| ***1916 D | $1,060 | $1,590 | $2,610 | $4,170 | $6,150 | $8,670 | $9,130 | $10,440 | $11,440 | $13,130 | -- |
| 1916 S | $4 | $5 | $10 | $14 | $24 | $26 | $29 | $31 | $37 | $42 | -- |
| 1917 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $8 | $14 | $15 | $17 | $22 | $30 | -- |
| 1917 D | $4 | $5 | $10 | $22 | $48 | $85 | $92 | $104 | $120 | $150 | -- |
| 1917 S | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $14 | $28 | $31 | $37 | $54 | $72 | -- |
| 1918 | $2 | $3 | $6 | $11 | $32 | $40 | $43 | $45 | $64 | $89 | -- |
| 1918 D | $3 | $3 | $5 | $11 | $31 | $44 | $49 | $63 | $101 | $120 | -- |
| 1918 S | $2 | $3 | $5 | $10 | $25 | $39 | $43 | $52 | $60 | $106 | -- |
| 1919 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $11 | $24 | $26 | $29 | $36 | $47 | -- |
| 1919 D | $3 | $6 | $11 | $24 | $43 | $67 | $74 | $86 | $132 | $210 | -- |
| 1919 S | $3 | $4 | $8 | $17 | $42 | $68 | $75 | $81 | $120 | $198 | -- |
| 1920 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $5 | $8 | $15 | $18 | $21 | $28 | $32 | -- |
| 1920 D | $2 | $3 | $4 | $7 | $23 | $43 | $46 | $49 | $90 | $132 | -- |
| 1920 S | $2 | $3 | $4 | $8 | $20 | $39 | $43 | $49 | $78 | $138 | -- |
| *1921 | $54 | $80 | $126 | $288 | $546 | $840 | $880 | $960 | $1,100 | $1,260 | -- |
| *1921 D | $68 | $114 | $204 | $384 | $700 | $1,110 | $1,140 | $1,170 | $1,320 | $1,410 | -- |
| 1923 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $7 | $15 | $17 | $18 | $26 | $36 | -- |
| 1923 S | $2 | $3 | $7 | $14 | $72 | $102 | $109 | $113 | $132 | $168 | -- |
| 1924 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $5 | $14 | $25 | $28 | $29 | $34 | $50 | -- |
| 1924 D | $3 | $4 | $6 | $18 | $70 | $101 | $107 | $118 | $144 | $180 | -- |
| 1924 S | $3 | $4 | $5 | $12 | $54 | $92 | $104 | $121 | $180 | $228 | -- |
| 1925 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $5 | $10 | $20 | $22 | $24 | $29 | $36 | -- |
| 1925 D | $4 | $5 | $12 | $42 | $138 | $190 | $215 | $250 | $320 | $360 | -- |
| 1925 S | $3 | $3 | $7 | $13 | $72 | $98 | $106 | $115 | $144 | $186 | -- |
| 1926 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $6 | $14 | $20 | $23 | $26 | $30 | -- |
| 1926 D | $3 | $4 | $5 | $10 | $28 | $46 | $51 | $60 | $83 | $132 | -- |
| 1926 S | $11 | $13 | $30 | $76 | $282 | $420 | $510 | $630 | $900 | $960 | -- |
| 1927 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $5 | $14 | $15 | $17 | $22 | $29 | -- |
| 1927 D | $3 | $5 | $8 | $22 | $72 | $90 | $98 | $104 | $180 | $210 | -- |
| 1927 S | $2 | $4 | $5 | $9 | $29 | $48 | $52 | $86 | $204 | $312 | -- |
| 1928 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $6 | $16 | $17 | $20 | $22 | $26 | -- |
| 1928 D | $2 | $4 | $8 | $20 | $52 | $85 | $90 | $109 | $174 | $204 | --- |
| 1928 S | $2 | $2 | $3 | $6 | $18 | $38 | $44 | $52 | $74 | $120 | -- |
| 1929 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $6 | $12 | $13 | $15 | $18 | $22 | -- |
| 1929 D | $2 | $2 | $4 | $8 | $16 | $17 | $18 | $20 | $23 | $26 | -- |
| 1929 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $8 | $20 | $21 | $24 | $28 | $34 | -- |
| 1930 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $5 | $8 | $14 | $16 | $18 | $24 | $29 | -- |
| 1930 S | $2 | $3 | $5 | $6 | $18 | $44 | $46 | $49 | $56 | $72 | -- |
| 1931 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $12 | $22 | $23 | $25 | $30 | $41 | -- |
| 1931 D | $7 | $10 | $11 | $18 | $36 | $51 | $53 | $55 | $66 | $88 | -- |
| 1931 S | $3 | $4 | $5 | $9 | $18 | $39 | $41 | $47 | $70 | $85 | -- |
| 1934 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $7 | $8 | $9 | $12 | $13 | -- |
| 1934 D | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $12 | $20 | $25 | $26 | $30 | $32 | -- |
| 1935 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $5 | $6 | $6 | $7 | $8 | -- |
| 1935 D | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $11 | $17 | $20 | $22 | $25 | $35 | -- |
| 1935 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $9 | $10 | $12 | $16 | $25 | -- |
| 1936 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $5 | $5 | $5 | $6 | $7 | $420 |
| 1936 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $6 | $13 | $14 | $16 | $20 | $24 | -- |
| 1936 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $9 | $10 | $12 | $13 | $16 | -- |
| 1937 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $5 | $5 | $5 | $6 | $8 | $240 |
| 1937 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $8 | $9 | $10 | $13 | $18 | -- |
| 1937 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $7 | $9 | $12 | $14 | $19 | -- |
| 1938 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $6 | $7 | $8 | $10 | $11 | $168 |
| 1938 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $5 | $9 | $10 | $12 | $13 | $17 | -- |
| 1938 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $4 | $7 | $8 | $9 | $13 | $18 | -- |
| 1939 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $6 | $7 | $8 | $10 | $140 |
| 1939 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $5 | $6 | $7 | $12 | -- |
| 1939 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $4 | $9 | $10 | $12 | $13 | $16 | -- |
| 1940 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $4 | $5 | $5 | $126 |
| 1940 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $5 | $6 | $7 | $8 | $10 | -- |
| 1940 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $6 | $10 | -- |
| 1941 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $6 | $120 |
| 1941 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $4 | $5 | $6 | $7 | -- |
| 1941 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $5 | $7 | -- |
| 1942 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $5 | $120 |
| **1942/41 | $498 | $516 | $576 | $630 | $770 | $1,180 | $1,350 | $1,470 | $1,680 | $2,250 | -- |
| 1942 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $4 | $6 | -- |
| **1942/41 D | $498 | $522 | $570 | $650 | $890 | $1,280 | $1,380 | $1,530 | $2,100 | $2,520 | -- |
| 1942 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $5 | $7 | -- |
| 1943 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $5 | $120 |
| 1943 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $4 | $4 | $5 | -- |
| 1943 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $4 | $5 | $5 | $7 | -- |
| 1944 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $5 | -- |
| 1944 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $4 | $6 | -- |
| 1944 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $4 | $5 | $7 | -- |
| 1945 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $5 | -- |
| 1945 D | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $4 | $5 | -- |
| 1945 S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $3 | $5 | $6 | -- |
| 1945 Micro S | $2 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $12 | $20 | $21 | $22 | $26 | -- |
Mercury Dime Coins on eBay
