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After 40+ Years of Collecting Mercury Dimes, My First Ever Proof!

keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited May 29, 2023 9:14AM in U.S. Coin Forum

I do not tend to be a fan of streaks, carbon spots, tans/brown colors, black that has eaten through the luster layer etc. These features tend to be quite common on proof Mercury Dimes that are not blast white and have frequently been a turn off for me. I tend to like my Mercury Dimes with a dash of color these days as well. I missed an attractively toned example last summer. Thank you to the forum member that alerted me to this one before I had a chance to search the latest listings. Some people are clearly quicker than others. Although this is not in hand yet, I am anxious to get it. It has most of the bells and whistles I like. Whatcha think of my first proof Merc? Proof 68 CAC. PCGS Pop 110 / 17. Edit to add the CAC Pop of 57/3.

"If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:

Comments

  • gumby1234gumby1234 Posts: 5,589 ✭✭✭✭✭

    WOW I Love it,

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  • baseballjeffbaseballjeff Posts: 1,082 ✭✭✭

    Wowzers! That is stellar! Thank you for sharing! I am waiting till I hit 100% on the basic set till I jump in and start picking off the proof Merc's. I am holding out, and using those proofs as my prize for when I finish my set!

    Nice work!
    Jeff

  • FloridafacelifterFloridafacelifter Posts: 1,291 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Love it!

  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @baseballjeff said:
    Wowzers! That is stellar! Thank you for sharing! I am waiting till I hit 100% on the basic set till I jump in and start picking off the proof Merc's. I am holding out, and using those proofs as my prize for when I finish my set!

    Nice work!
    Jeff

    Thank you, Jeff. I am primarily working on toned business strike Merc 1934-1945 but the right examples are not stampeding towards me every day so I allowed myself to get distracted (again), but at least it was with another Merc this time. :smile: I look forward to watching your journey.

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • Dave99BDave99B Posts: 8,587 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow! Beautiful Proof '42. If it looks like that in hand, you have an amazing example. So many proof Mercs have been dipped white. Not this one. Congrats!

    Dave

    Always looking for original, better date VF20-VF35 Barber quarters and halves, and a quality beer.
  • MICHAELDIXONMICHAELDIXON Posts: 6,531 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Beautiful Merc!!!

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  • P0CKETCHANGEP0CKETCHANGE Posts: 2,768 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Beautiful coin, with wonderful color. One you will be sure to treasure. Thank you for sharing it.

    Nothing is as expensive as free money.

  • PeakRaritiesPeakRarities Posts: 4,046 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Love it!

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  • PhillyJoePhillyJoe Posts: 2,701 ✭✭✭✭

    Stunning. Wow.

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  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,260 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You got a good one. It's better than anything I have, and I have them all from 1936 to '42.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @FlyingAl said:
    I was quite a fan from the second I saw it, and I'm glad you ended up with it! :smile:

    This is one of the finest toned Mercury dimes with this kind if color. In the 36-42 era, you often end up with the hazy blue green tone that comes naturally from the cello. Sometimes you'll see something like this that looks like album tone to my eyes, with beautiful electric greens, blues, yellows, oranges, purples and reds. They're becoming much more difficult to locate, and a lot of them have streaks or blotches in the toning. Some are only attractive at certain angles.

    This one really has the best of all worlds. Great color and eye appeal, great detail, high grade surfaces and no streaks. It looks to be attractive from all angles based on the auction photos. While there might be two or three PR68+ and PR69 coins that have better color, they might not all be streak free or have good detail. For that reason, this one is pretty high up my list of all time finest colorful Proof Mercs that have come to market.

    Congrats!

    Thank you very much for the kind words. I will do my best to update the thread with a video once I get it in hand. :)

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • JWPJWP Posts: 23,524 ✭✭✭✭✭

    nice B)

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  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillJones said:
    You got a good one. It's better than anything I have, and I have them all from 1936 to '42.

    Thank you, Bill. That means a lot coming from you! Not many people have coins that come close to the quality in your collection.

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • duck620duck620 Posts: 972 ✭✭✭✭

    Beautiful Mercury Dime "WOW".

  • sparky64sparky64 Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I looked at nearly a dozen or so PR Mercury Dimes at the recent PAN show and they all had one or more of the conditions you describe.
    I was ready to buy too.

    "If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"

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  • robecrobec Posts: 6,773 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well, you sure waited for a good one. That is one spectacular Mercury proof.

    - Bob -

    MPL's - Lincolns of Colorimage
    Central Valley Roosevelts

  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @sparky64 said:
    I looked at nearly a dozen or so PR Mercury Dimes at the recent PAN show and they all had one or more of the conditions you describe.
    I was ready to buy too.

    I feel pretty darn lucky to have ended up with this one. Although the Proof Mercury Dime series is only 7 long, I am not quick to kid myself into thinking that I will be able to just pick up the other 6 and have them look like this. Lol

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @robec said:
    Well, you sure waited for a good one. That is one spectacular Mercury proof.

    Thanks Bob! I think this was a fairly good distraction from my primary focus and came at a good time. My distractions got an upgrade from my recent 1977 & 1962 stuff etc to this. Lol

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • 2windy2fish2windy2fish Posts: 833 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That coin is truly spectacular!

  • WaterSportWaterSport Posts: 6,838 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Heck of a dime !

    WS

    Proud recipient of the coveted PCGS Forum "You Suck" Award Thursday July 19, 2007 11:33 PM and December 30th, 2011 at 8:50 PM.
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,389 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great looking coin. I have never owned a Proof Merc. Because this is your first one, it will be a tough act to follow.

    Think of Citizen Kane and The Maltese Falcon. And you can't consult with Orson Welles or John Huston as to what comes next...

    All kidding aside- the next one will be awesome. Congrats

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • ChangeInHistoryChangeInHistory Posts: 3,059 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very nice coin, you've set the bar high for your next ones.

  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,169 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I love it! It’s tough to find anything from this era with nice color and blast white bores me.

  • InlanderInlander Posts: 88 ✭✭✭

    Fantastic eye appeal! A really nice proof there!

    TBD

  • MidLifeCrisisMidLifeCrisis Posts: 10,547 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Beautiful! Congratulations!

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,436 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If you want to own only one proof that one is a great choice!

    All glory is fleeting.
  • SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 12,256 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Fantastic coin.

    Congrats on you purchase.

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,594 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You picked a very nice one.

  • bagofnickelsbagofnickels Posts: 349 ✭✭✭✭

    Absolutely gorgeous. I bet it will be a mesmerizing piece in hand.

  • 2dueces2dueces Posts: 6,559 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow

    W.C.Fields
    "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
  • RollermanRollerman Posts: 1,873 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'd say well worth the wait!

    "Ain't None of Them play like him (Bix Beiderbecke) Yet."
    Louis Armstrong
  • CocoinutCocoinut Posts: 2,512 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That's a beauty! I've been hesitant to buy toned proof Mercs because the photos are often misleading. I hope yours is a happy exception and that it looks at least as good as the Trueview. Please let us know.

    Countdown to completion of my Mercury Set: 1 coin. My growing Lincoln Set: Finally completed!
  • pursuitoflibertypursuitofliberty Posts: 7,061 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Gorgeous look, for sure! Congrat's!!


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  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks everyone.

    @Cocoinut & others, I will update this thread with a video when I get it. I was informed GC was working hard today and the coin has already shipped. I will be out of town late this week so I will likely have to pick it up from the PO Box on Saturday morning. I'm looking forward to it.

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    While I am not a fan of tarnish, that is definitely a quality Mercury dime... and an excellent year ;) .... Great detail and clean fields. Cheers, RickO

  • ShurkeShurke Posts: 447 ✭✭✭✭

    That’s a looker for sure!

  • flyguyflflyguyfl Posts: 127 ✭✭

    Wonderful coin!

  • bsshog40bsshog40 Posts: 3,914 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very nice!

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  • remumcremumc Posts: 1,274 ✭✭✭

    Beautiful! If/when I ever quit upgrading my MSFB sets, I'll probably start on the proofs.

    Regards,

    Wayne

    www.waynedriskillminiatures.com
  • littlebearlittlebear Posts: 1,513 ✭✭✭✭

    @ricko said:
    While I am not a fan of tarnish, that is definitely a quality Mercury dime... and an excellent year ;) .... Great detail and clean fields. Cheers, RickO

    Wow, Ricko, we may just bring you around yet to be a toner man!

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  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here’s a quick cell phone video for anyone interested.
    https://youtu.be/N6U8_IoGTr4

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • OldIndianNutKaseOldIndianNutKase Posts: 2,708 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Your 1942 PR68 is spectacular. Now you just need to find 1936-1941 in PR68 to match. Good Luck.

  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @OldIndianNutKase said:
    Your 1942 PR68 is spectacular. Now you just need to find 1936-1941 in PR68 to match. Good Luck.

    That would be quite the numismatic miracle. Lol

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • joeykoinsjoeykoins Posts: 16,457 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Glad you pulled the trigger!

    "Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!

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  • Eldorado9Eldorado9 Posts: 2,381 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A true beauty....That one is a keeper.

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