How to Identify the Mercury Dime

What It Is

The Mercury Dime was struck by the U.S. Mint from 1916 to 1945. Despite its nickname, it does not depict the Roman god Mercury; it actually shows a young Liberty wearing a winged cap symbolizing freedom of thought, designed by Adolph A. Weinman. The public nickname stuck so firmly that it is still the most common way collectors refer to the coin today, even though the Mint's official name for the design has always simply been the Winged Liberty Head Dime.

Obverse (Front)

The obverse shows Liberty's head facing left, wearing a Phrygian cap with wings attached, symbolizing liberty of thought. "LIBERTY" arcs above, "IN GOD WE TRUST" is to the lower left, and the date sits at the lower right.

Reverse (Back)

The reverse depicts a fasces (a bundle of rods bound around an axe, an ancient symbol of authority and unity) tied with a ribbon, with an olive branch wrapped diagonally across it, symbolizing readiness for war balanced with a desire for peace. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "E PLURIBUS UNUM" arc around the top and bottom, and "ONE DIME" is placed to the right of the fasces.

Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge

The coin measures 17.9 mm in diameter and weighs 2.5 grams, struck in 90% silver and 10% copper. The edge is reeded.

Mint Marks

The mint mark appears on the reverse, to the lower left of the fasces, near the base of the olive branch. No letter indicates Philadelphia; "D" is Denver and "S" is San Francisco.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

The winged cap and fasces design are unique to this series and easily distinguished from the earlier Barber Dime (a plain Liberty head bust) and the later Roosevelt Dime (a portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt) introduced in 1946. Collectors also look for "Full Bands" examples, where the horizontal bands wrapping the fasces show complete, unbroken separation, a mark of a especially sharp, well-struck coin.

Grading at a Glance

Examine the hair detail behind Liberty's ear and along the cap, and the crossbands on the fasces for separation, since these areas show wear or weak striking first. A coin with soft, blended crossbands may simply be weakly struck rather than worn, so overall sharpness across the whole design should be considered together.

Authenticity Red Flags

The 1916-D issue, a key date with low mintage, is a frequent target for added or altered mint marks; examine the mint mark area for an unnatural font, uneven surface, or signs of a mint mark having been added or removed. General warning signs of counterfeiting include incorrect weight or diameter, a mushy strike lacking the fine detail expected of a genuinely struck coin, and any magnetic response, since genuine silver dimes are not magnetic. Comparing the exact size and font of a suspect mint mark to enlarged photos of confirmed genuine examples is one of the most reliable ways to catch an alteration.