Semi-Numismatic

1927-S Mercury Dime Good/VG

---

The 1927 Mercury dime stands as a classic example of United States coinage from the era before 1933. Minted in San Francisco, as indicated by its S mint mark, this ten-cent piece is composed of 90% silver, containing 0.0715 troy ounces of the precious metal. Despite its common nickname, the coin does not actually depict the Roman messenger god, but rather a symbolic representation of freedom. On the obverse, the design features a youthful personification of Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap adorned with wings. This distinctive headgear was intended to represent liberation of thought. The reverse displays a fasces, a bundle of rods bound around an axe, positioned alongside an olive branch, symbolizing both readiness for defense and a desire for peace. This intricate imagery was created by the artist Adolph Weinman, making this circulating coin a miniature work of art from the early twentieth century.