Numismatic

1917 Mercury Dime BU

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The 1917 Mercury Dime is a captivating example of early twentieth-century American coinage. Struck in 0.900 fine silver with a metal content of 0.0715 troy ounces, this ten-cent piece survives in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, preserving the sharp details of its original engraving just as it left the Philadelphia Mint over a century ago. Designed by Adolph Weinman, the obverse of the coin presents a youthful portrait of Lady Liberty. She wears a winged Phrygian cap, a powerful symbol that historically came to represent freedom of thought. Surrounding her profile is the classic national motto, "IN GOD WE TRUST", alongside the crisp 1917 date. On the reverse, Weinman placed a fasces, a bundle of rods bound around an axe, closely intertwined with an olive branch. This combination of imagery beautifully balances the concepts of strength and peace. The Latin phrase "E PLURIBUS UNUM" is clearly legible, celebrating unity alongside the denomination "ONE DIME".