Semi-Numismatic

1934 Mercury Dime Good/VF

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In 1934, the United States Mint struck this ten-cent piece, a coin commonly known as the Mercury Dime. Composed of 90 percent silver, it contains 0.0715 troy ounces of precious metal. Although it is widely referred to by the name of the Roman messenger god, the obverse actually portrays a youthful personification of Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap, symbolizing freedom of thought. This iconic front design is accompanied by the national motto, "IN GOD WE TRUST," and the 1934 date. Created by the sculptor Adolph Weinman, the coin's reverse presents a starkly different theme. It displays a fasces, an ancient symbol of authority consisting of a bundle of rods bound around an ax, which is closely intertwined with a leafy olive branch. This juxtaposition represents both readiness for defense and a desire for peace. The reverse also bears the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."