The Top 10 FSB Merc Dimes Ten Years Later.

Fairlaneman

In the Complete Guide to Mercury Dimes Mr Lange in 1993, February Census, posted FSB figures for all Mercury Dimes. His figures were calculated by combining the PCGS and NGC published figures at that time. Here are the Top Ten in 1993.

01. 18D....32
02. 27S....39
03. 19S....40
04. 19D....47
05. 18S....48
06. 27D....53
07. 24S....55
08. 23S....58
09. 26S....62
10. 45P....73

Pretty low Pops even at that time when the services had been in operation for a few years. Now 10 years later we have a little difference in some of the date rankings. Some of these dates have withstood thier perception of Rarity and some have not. I guess in my mind that a lot of collectors are still paying for coins because of the Old Time thought that it was Rare or Not Rare. When you get down to the number ten spot many are real close to this position. Even at that a coin that has less than 200 examples slabbed in FB's makes for skinny pickings in the Collector Community. Here is the Top Ten as I found them listed Today.

01. 19S....93....For Sure the King with None over 65FB
02. 27S....116..Vastly Under Rated IMO
03. 45P....119.. Well its Holding its own. Pretty impressive for a coin that had a Ka Zillion Minted.
04. 27D....126.. Same comment as for its Brother.
05. 18S....169.. Is this the date where the Pop Report is all Screwed Up ?
06. 18D....169.. Or was this the Date ?
07. 26S....171.. The only Old Time Key to hit this list.
08. 19D....176.. and someone paid $212,000 for one of these examples......Hmmm.
09. 23S....182.. A tough date but just a shade more common than I thought.
10. 31S....185.. Suprise, Suprise! Since 1993 not very many of this date have been Certified. A real Sleeper.

Well there you have it. I think this is accurate but if anyone finds a flaw jump in and say so. I've been known to blotch a thing or two up before. Interesting IMO.

Mercs Rule and Especially the above Dates.

Ken

Dimetime

And how many of these were crack-outs?

fcloud

The 45 is impressive for all those years it has only a handfull.

Thanks for the info.

Fairlaneman

The Crack Out question is a Very Good Question. Everyone says the 16D pop is really goofed up because of Crack Outs, BTW its Pop is over 300, I'm thinking these ten suffer number inflation in the same way. Some of these dates you just do not see very often. Are they Really Out there ?

Ken

python1

I have looked over your list, and I must agree, they are real hard to come by....but if they were easy to come by, everyone would put a set together....by the way, good research!

Fairlaneman

The thing that is astounding about this list is that Lange in his book said that some of these dates are Harder to find in AU than Mint State. Survivors are scarce in AU and better. Maybe with all of the lower grades around that is how people rate the individual coin and also how they price the coin. Just a Humble Opinion again.

Thanks Dennis....I was bored and The Ducks lost in the NCAA BBall tournament already so I just dreamed this up for discussion. Now our Historian must copy this and save it for Ten Years down the road. Jim are you listening ?

Ken

tradedollarnut

I went to a FUN auction in 1986 that featured a FSB gem 1926-S dime. It realized an amazing amount for the coin. It was deeply struck and quite choice - a very nice coin! I have never seen one with an equivalent strike since!

marcmoish

Nice research Ken, how interesting, however I agree the #'s are skewed b/c of the never-ending, money-down-the -toilet crackout game.

Some of those dates are truly tough period!



Marc

zep

Fairlaneman,
I think we discussed this before but there is a 1919S graded MS67FB.

DIMEMAN

Ken,

Really neat research. All of those dates in both lists are tuff to find, even w/o bands.

Great job!!!

Jon

TAP444

There is a 19-s ncg67fb listed in the pop report
but has anyone ever seen it??

Fairlaneman

Actually I see there are two 66FB and one 67FB 1919S Mercs in the NGC census. Guess I blew that one or maybe I'm bias or maybe I just paid very little attention to the grades when this was put together. Sure would like to see that dime.

Ken

izzy452

Good work there Ken, very informative.

Thanks

Walt

Fairlaneman

Click Here for some pictures of a few of the dates in the list plus 2 Dogs at play. One of the other pages has some of the Toned Mercs from the collection.

Ken

PTVETTER

looking over both list I see that I need most of them.

My birthday is approching soon, so send my gifts soon beat the rush.

quattrocoins

Great bit of reseach, Ken. Thanks for some very helpful knowlege!

Makes me very happy that I just scored that '31-S!!!

"Maggot" Don

Full Bands and

oreville

Ken: Great update. Could you split the pop numbers between PCGS and NGC to see if there are any unusual imbalances in 1993 versus today?

The earliest pop report I have is 1997.

zep

Tap,
I've seen it and the strike is all there with tremendous luster. It is part of a set that includes an amazing 1919S Buffalo in MS66 and and a 1919S quarter in MS67FH. All three are eye appealling to the max.

TAP444

Zep,
I wish you had some pics, would love to see them,
I have seen one of the ngc66fb coins 19-s and it was not that great
had a mark on the obverse
Tim

marcmoish

Tim,
I'm probably biased as I wouldn't go near an NGC slab anymore with a ten foot pole. I've seen way to much overgraded pieces, and I mean way too much.
Frankly I've seen a good couple of overgraded PCGS pieces too, but miles apart in terms of freaqency & overall grade.
Its no wonder most tough PCGS Merc's for example are hard to find, simple, most just don't make the grade.......I've been at a # of shows lately where I can only find NGC slabs, practically no PCGS so that says volumes at least for me.

Don,
Which 31-S?? You mean you got it for me right??

Marc

TAP444

There are overgraded coins in both slabs, the key is to look at the coin
and buy it on its on merit, sometimes you can get a ncg dime cheaper
that is graded correctly, and as long as the grade fits I do not really
care a lot about the slab. I own several nice dimes in both slabs, I just
add the pcgs coins to the set as I get them, but I do not skip over ngc
dimes just because of the slab (if they are nice and the grade fits) I will buy them
also. but then I am not looking to sell the set anytime soon
Tim
The Poston Collection)

grip

I have picked up some nice NGC Merc's and had them cross,Tim is right on ...you must see the coin and forget about the holder.Al

remumc

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the great Merc lesson! No wonder I'm having such a hard time finding a 31-S in FB!

Regards,

Wayne

marcmoish

absolutely true you must buy the coin not the plastic...sooo true, however my discontent and obvious bias with ngc goes a year or two earlier as a newbie I purchased a number of gold & silver better type in PCGS & NGC. It seems only and all of the NGC purchases I made were all grossly overgraded and totally crap to say it mildly. I have since sold them all over time, all for losses as is understood.
Enough said!



Marc

Fairlaneman

I think it is to everyones advantage to remember that two different standards are used for grading by these two different slabbing company's. Both make mistakes and both seem to have different standards at different times. Nice coins can be found in both holders but I do believe if you use the point system only a PCGS65 is better than a NGC65. If the nimber is considered only and not the services standard of course the PCGS65 is going to be the nicer coin nine out of ten times. PCGS just grades to a higher standard, in the Merc Series anyway.

Ken

quattrocoins

Here ya go, Marc.

My new '31-S from Colorfulcoins:





Kinda looks like Wayne's icon, eh?

Mercs and "maggots"?!? "Maggots" and Mercs?!?
No thanks, I think I'll keep it!

Don

Full Bands and

marcmoish

maggots are YUM!

Me like that





Marc