starting new set of Mercury
rmorgan
Posts: 249 ✭✭✭✭
When I decided to refocus on coin collecting, I decided that I wanted to focus first on Mercury Dimes. I have very pleasant memories of being fascinated by them when I was a young boy. From my past I already have most issues in well-circulated condition. But I decided that because the Mercury is probably my favorite type, I want to build a new set of these dimes and one that reflects this coin's beauty. Today I started it.
I went to a monthly coin show and connected with a dealer who is also a leading member of my local coin club. A while back he had obtained a large amount of uncirculated Mercuries. I bought 15 coins (with an unintentional duplicate), so now I started my new set with 14 down and 63 to go. Next weekend is my local club's Fall show, so maybe I'll be able to pick up more soon.
My strategy is about collecting what I intend to keep, not investing in what I plan to sell.
Comments
Are you going to start a registry set?
Mercury dime is a fun set to collect!
Been collecting them little dimes for over 50 years
Haven't thought that far ahead. But that is an idea to consider.
My strategy is about collecting what I intend to keep, not investing in what I plan to sell.
For the common dates, spend some time looking for full bands. There are so many nice ones around you can afford to be very picky.
Merc's are great! Beautiful design and fun to collect. Over the years I built a circulated set. Nothing fancy, just a low-cost diversion from my main focus (Walking Liberty half dollars).
Always found at least one nice example at every coin show, so I never go home empty-handed.
Successful BST transactions with forum members thebigeng, SPalladino, Zoidmeister, coin22lover, coinsarefun, jwitten, CommemKing.
I have a few slabbed and some in an album.... The Merc is a nice coin, from when our coins contained real art. Would be nice to see art on circulating coins again....Cheers, RickO
I think the same thing. I do like the Lincolns, but for the others I'd like to see a return the the "Liberty" theme. ...and perhaps a law/policy that no type lives longer than 50 years.
My strategy is about collecting what I intend to keep, not investing in what I plan to sell.
I've recently started a Merc set myself. Strictly circ coins VF-XF with great eye appeal. I search tons of 90% at work so figured it gives me one more thing to look forward to when coming to work.
I have a set that's about a third done. The common dates in the late 30's thru the mid 40's are pretty easy to find in high grade and FB, the older issues are a mountain to climb. Anything in this second group not encapsulated should give you pause. There's normally a reason (dipped) why it's not encapsulated.
Still a beautiful completed set.
Great set and design to chase. My personal favorite design. Good luck with the quest.
I started with a circ set, (believe me it was very low grade).
Years later ,many years later, I hade a chance to buy some somewhat good looking in PCGS holders.
This was a start of a short set and the race was on.
Other slabs got added and then things went out of control. The Mercury dime bug got me.
Along the way I have meet some really great people.
The man behind the Joshua II set is a great and kind man.
Let us not forget the Mercateer's (sp) and red Fridays.
Mercury Dime? What's a Mercury Dime?
Ken
Ken now that’s funny
Ken and I have been on the registry set with Mercury dimes forever
Some of the old timers remember those days
Those are very pretty and I am glad to hear you have a coin club buddy to work with. Nice coins.
I got a good deal on a Dansco with a BU+ Short Set already in it at the last coin show here in SLC . . . . and have now taken the challenge. So far . . just BU. The typical ones . . back to 1916 . . easy to do in BU, but in time, I will have to start acquiescing to the obvious . . . . . . no way this will be a full BU set.
So far . . .fun. Have not started a new challenge like this in years . . . . .
Drunner
Remember Red Friday?
Those were the days. 
I have some extras for sale.
rmorgan, how’s your set coming along? I am a diehard collector of the Mercury Dime. I just passed the 61% complete mark all PCGS graded with FB’s except 3.
Let’s keep the Dime chat going!
Jeff
A nice type series to collect!
A nice set to try and complete. I guess it all depends on the grade levels your looking at and plus the 16-D.
I've stated many times that I generally prefer circulated coins, ones that actually lived their intended life...with that said, for my birthday or Christmas one year, my mom picked out two uncirculated Mercury dimes and darned if they aren't some of my favorites in my entire collection.
They look better in hand then in scans, and I'm not sure the 41 is uncirculated. Been a while since I've seen them in hand.
The mint luster for me on these seems to stop and start at 1930!!!
Wow, very nice start.
I just got my grandson a Littleton album to start his Merc set. His other grandmother (past away last year) left a bunch of well circulate coins with quite a few Merc's so I got the album and an inexpensive loop so he can organize them. The spot for the 16-D has a cardboard circle saying "rare". I'll tell him to call me if he finds one
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I've replace many of those initially purchased dimes. As I worked with the series and looked at good coins from various dealers, my expectations rose. When I first posted here, I was just getting back into collecting and trying to find my footing in purchasing coins at Shows. I've loosened my purse strings a bit since then.
In my Dansco, my back page (34-45) is complete. Almost all have all their luster without any significant toning, and of those I want to upgrade three and maybe a fourth.
The first page (16-31) is where the real work happens. I try for AU, but sometimes I compromised for XF (and for one conditional rarity, I purchased a VF). I've been struggling to find high-end circulated specimens in the 20s, so my progress is at a crawl.
Since I buy only at shows and was shut down over the pandemic, this project stalled after the 2020 FUN Show. I'm back to looking, but those 192x dates in AU and even XF are hard to find.
I have yet to commit to how I'll be handling the 16D, but I suspect I'll settle for a low-grade specimen. If I want to increase my budget by another thousand or so, I find myself wanting to put that extra money toward upgrading the several challenging dates in the 20s rather than into that one key date.
So for this 77-piece set, I have 13 left.
My strategy is about collecting what I intend to keep, not investing in what I plan to sell.
Can we see what you currently have and what it looks like in the Dansco?
Here is the current state of my Mercuries (June 2021).
Last page, later dates: I plan to upgrade 3 or 4.
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First page, earlier dates:
This is the page where the hard work lies. The main cost of the set lies here, hence the toughest decisions and search efforts lie here: [1] Deciding how much money to throw at these dates and how much compromising I'm wiling to make on eye appeal. [2] I've discovered that it is tough to find the higher grade circulated coins of these years.
On this page I am debating with myself about my acceptance level and how much upgrading I want to do while completing the set. As I look at page two (above), I want to improve the eye appeal of page one (below) - but I want to be realistic in how I spend money on a hobby (e.g., do I want to spend an additional $200-$300 to upgrade the 26S, a single coin, another notch?). These decisions are a balancing act.
My strategy is about collecting what I intend to keep, not investing in what I plan to sell.
Now that's what I'm talkin' bout! Very nice! I like you approach to your decision making. I also agree with your eye appeal. A consistent looking, problem free set is always the best.
That first page is a killer for me. Yours looks great!!
Mercury dimes are gorgeous coins, and come really nice in gem mint state condition . My second favorite 20th century coin design. My only issue is that it is so tiny to view. So I am in too Walking liberty halves as arguably the nicest 20th century design and I love the large size of that coin.
As mentioned I'm giving my grandson an ablum to fill but the standards will be much lower, a coin you can identify as a Merc and a date/mint mark you can confirm. We're not going for eye appeal
.
That's fine, except I didn't say that @rmorgan did.
Corrected.
Thanks.
"Decision making" can be challenging and even taxing on one's emotions. But for me, working through that (over months or even years) is one of the main things that interests me in the hobby. I would never want to buy a set someone else put toge
My strategy is about collecting what I intend to keep, not investing in what I plan to sell.
At today's local show, I did not see any good quality mercuries of the few dates I'm still looking for, but I did see three nice specimens that caught my eye. I bought them and a cheaper fourth as upgrades. The dealer listed the top three as MS63, MS63, choice AU. (and the 20-D was a quick $20 upgrade.) These are replacing specimens I bought early on, but now I find some of those early acquisitions lacking the eye appeal that I have come to want for this set.
I'm glad to upgrade, but I wish I could find the quality specimens for dates that I'm missing.
My strategy is about collecting what I intend to keep, not investing in what I plan to sell.
WOW!! That first page is nice. Lots of high grade already.