Numismatic

1942 Mercury Dime Proof

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In 1942, the Philadelphia Mint produced a limited run of proof-quality dimes, offering a highly polished and detailed look at one of America's most celebrated coin designs. Struck in 90 percent silver with a weight containing 0.0715 troy ounces of precious metal, these proof specimens represent a tiny fraction of the year's total dime production, with only 22,329 pieces minted. Designed by Adolph Weinman, the obverse features a young personification of Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap. This striking image, which led the public to mistake Liberty for the Roman god Mercury, is accompanied by the inscription "IN GOD WE TRUST" and the date 1942. The reverse of the coin displays a traditional fasces, a bundle of rods bound around an ax, entwined with an olive branch. This symbol of strength and peace is surrounded by the legend "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and the motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM". The high-contrast finish of the proof strike brings out the intricate details of both the feathers on Liberty's cap and the delicate leaves of the olive branch.