Numismatic

1916-D Mercury Dime Good

---

In 1916, the United States Mint introduced a new ten-cent design that would become one of the most celebrated in American numismatics. The 1916-D Mercury Dime, struck at the Denver Mint, represents the absolute pinnacle of scarcity for this beloved series. With a remarkably low mintage of just 264,000 pieces, this issue has captivated the imagination of coin enthusiasts for generations. Finding one today, even in a well-circulated Good condition, is a thrilling discovery. The obverse features a striking depiction of a young Lady Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap, a design element that led the public to mistake her for the Roman god Mercury. This side also bears the classic national motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" and the pivotal 1916 date. The design was created by Adolph Weinman, whose work brought a fresh, modern artistic sensibility to American coinage at the dawn of the twentieth century. On the reverse, the coin displays a fasces, a bundle of rods bound around an ax, symbolizing strength and unity, alongside an olive branch representing peace. This side features the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "ONE DIME", along with the traditional motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM". Minted from 0.900 fine silver with a metal content of 0.0715 troy ounces, this tiny treasure launched a design series that would endure from 1916 to 1945.