DIME 1916-1945 Mercury - More Details
Many people believe the "Mercury Dime" was named after "Mercury" the character of Greek Mythology known as the winged messenger. In Greek Mythology, Mercury was a male. It is difficult to understand how the name Mercury grew more common than the appropriate reference of Liberty Head. Indeed the head on the obverse of this coin is still our beloved Miss Liberty.
The motif features Miss Liberty facing left, wearing a Phrygian cap with wings, LIBERTY encircling her head, and with IN GOD WE TRUST and the date below. The reverse depicts a bundle of sticks with a blade at the top, against a branch in the background, and with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and ONE DIME around the border. E PLURIBUS UNUM appears at the lower right. The design was continued without change through 1945. Coinage was accomplished at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints. Proofs were made at Philadelphia from 1936 through 1942.
Examples of the Mercury dime type are readily available in all grades from About Good through superb Uncirculated. Certain issues are lightly struck and are apt to have weaknesses on the bands tying the sticks in the fascias on the reverse.
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