Semi-Numismatic

1925-S Mercury Dime VF

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Struck in the mid 1920s, this ten-cent silver piece from the San Francisco Mint represents a classic era of American coinage. Crafted from 90 percent silver, the coin contains 0.0715 troy ounces of precious metal. It survives today in a Very Fine state of preservation, showing moderate wear but retaining the clear, artistic details of its original design. The obverse presents a youthful portrait of Liberty. She wears a traditional Phrygian cap adorned with wings, a powerful symbol of freedom of thought. This distinctive headwear led to the popular, though technically incorrect, nickname of the Mercury dime, as the image closely resembles the Roman messenger god. Surrounding the portrait are the words IN GOD WE TRUST and the date 1925. On the reverse, the design shifts to themes of unity and peace. A central fasces, which is a bundle of rods bound around an ax, represents strength through cohesion. An olive branch is woven alongside it, signaling a desire for peace. The inscriptions on this side include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE DIME, and the Latin phrase E PLURIBUS UNUM, alongside the distinct S mint mark indicating its origin in San Francisco.