Semi-Numismatic

1916 Mercury Dime Good/Fine

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In 1916, the United States Mint introduced a fresh aesthetic to the ten cent denomination, launching a design that would become one of the nation's most celebrated circulating coins. Though popularly known as the Mercury Dime, the obverse actually depicts Lady Liberty. She wears a winged Phrygian cap, a powerful symbol meant to represent freedom of thought. The year 1916 on the obverse marks the very first year of issue for this beloved series. Crafted from 0.900 fine silver, this coin contains 0.0715 troy ounces of precious metal. The reverse design presents a fasces, a bundle of rods bound around an axe, paired alongside an olive branch. This imagery represents strength and readiness for defense, balanced by a deep desire for peace. The traditional Latin motto, E PLURIBUS UNUM, is also inscribed on the reverse, completing a design created by Adolph Weinman that captures the spirit of a nation on the cusp of a new era.