Semi-Numismatic

1942-S Mercury Dime Good/VF

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Struck during a pivotal year in global history, this ten-cent piece from the San Francisco Mint contains 0.0715 troy ounces of silver. The coin is composed of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper, representing a standard of precious metal coinage that has since disappeared from daily circulation. On these circulating pieces, the outer rim may display gentle signs of wear from its journey through the mid-twentieth-century American economy. The obverse features a portrait of a youthful Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap, a design created by sculptor Adolph Weinman. This distinctive headwear led to the popular nickname of the 'Mercury Dime' due to its resemblance to the Roman messenger god. Surrounding the portrait is the motto 'IN GOD WE TRUST' and the 1942 date. On the reverse, the design showcases a fasces, an ancient symbol of authority consisting of a bundle of rods bound around an ax, which is closely intertwined with an olive branch representing peace. The San Francisco 'S' mint mark is located on this side, alongside the traditional Latin motto 'E PLURIBUS UNUM' and the denomination.