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The 1916-D Mercury Dime.. The honest truth I believe.
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Posts: 400
"Any of you ever wished you could have a 1916-D Mercury dime in your collection?
I sure have.
Well, now you can..
For only $550 + 8% Bing Cashback, it can be yours today!
Act now!"
Alright, now it may seem kinda silly on what I just did.. But it's true. You can actually GET an FR or AG 1916-D Merc dime for those lower prices.. However, the question begs, "Is it still worth it?"
I mean really?
1916-D Merc dimes in fair condition are very common, you could buy them and sell them anywhere and the price or value of it really doesn't go up..
I guess you can argue that, "Hey, it's a cheap key date Merc dime for my set".. Well, that's fine if it is.. but for collectors of type sets or just people who want this key date Merc, I don't think buying it cheap is the way to go. In my opinion, you'll be still sitting on junk.
If you want to do it right, go for an VF or XF.. Maybe even F.. but any of these below par ebay listings I see, I say PASS.
Your thoughts?
bnb
I sure have.
Well, now you can..
For only $550 + 8% Bing Cashback, it can be yours today!
Act now!"
Alright, now it may seem kinda silly on what I just did.. But it's true. You can actually GET an FR or AG 1916-D Merc dime for those lower prices.. However, the question begs, "Is it still worth it?"
I mean really?
1916-D Merc dimes in fair condition are very common, you could buy them and sell them anywhere and the price or value of it really doesn't go up..
I guess you can argue that, "Hey, it's a cheap key date Merc dime for my set".. Well, that's fine if it is.. but for collectors of type sets or just people who want this key date Merc, I don't think buying it cheap is the way to go. In my opinion, you'll be still sitting on junk.
If you want to do it right, go for an VF or XF.. Maybe even F.. but any of these below par ebay listings I see, I say PASS.
Your thoughts?
bnb
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Comments
I don't really care about this key date, I'm happy showing my kids a 1916 for a much cheaper price.
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So, bottom line, yes it's worth it.
I'm talking about future return on value.. Meaning, will an AG or FR go up in value in 10 years from now as much as say a VF, XF, AU, or MS would? And will you have an enthusiastic buyer for it? Probably not in my opinion.
But, I think if you have a gorgeous example VF, XF, or better, maybe you can pull in a nice premium 10+ years from now..
All certified of course.
If you're buying one just for your set, then I think any will do if you don't care about how it looks.
bnb
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<< <i>If your talking about future investment, why not get into bullion? If you bought silver back when it was $5 and gold back when it was 250, right now, your return is big!!! >>
Understood but I think I'm just curious about the Merc dime on this thread.. Thanks though.
bnb
How many buyers will you have for a F12 16D vs a MS65 16D?
Probably more for the lower grade. There aren't that many people who can plop 50k, 60k, or more but there are more people who may have 1k-5k.
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If you can swing the $600, you can swing the $1300 if you save up.
<< <i>Your thoughts? >>
Buy what you like, not what somebody else tells you you should want.
Cliff
For the same 500-600 bucks I'd much prefer an ultra high grade 1916-P if I was working on a nice type set. If I were working on the Merc set, I'd want to at least save up until I could afford a VG8 or higher 1916-D as I'd want to see more of the detail on the coin and I'd want my coin to be a little more special than the AG or G coins that seem to be abundant.
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 448
What makes you think any of the above grades will go up? My bet is that they will come down first and I believe I have already seen this starting.
Ken
Do you want to collect coins, or do you want to invest?
Because by mentioning "future return on value," it certainly sounds as if you want to invest. Coins are not investment vehicles - If you are looking for a place to park your money, choose real estate or the stock market.
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Hoard the keys.
Currently there are many collectors who remember when Mercury dimes were in circulation, so this set still has personal significance to them. That will not be true by 2050.
How many people today seriously attempt to form complete sets of Liberty Seated halves? Few people are alive today who remember when these could readily be found in circulation. Today halves dated in the 1880s, many with total mintages in 4 figures, can be found for less than the price of an AG 1916-D Mercury. I think this is a portend of the future, when Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters and Walking Liberty halves will mostly be collected as type coins.
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
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<< <i>I suspect that as this century goes on, collecting complete early- and mid-20th century sets will gradually become less popular, and thus the key dates such as the 1916-D dime will become less valuable. Currently there are many collectors who remember when Mercury dimes were in circulation, so this set still has personal significance to them. That will not be true by 2050. >>
I collect Bust Quarters and I know many others who do as well. And there and thousands of people who collect Bust Halves by date and variety. None of these people were alive when BQs and BHs were minted...and yet they're as popular as ever. Mercury Dimes and the other popular coins of the 20th Century will always be popular and collected. 2050 and beyond...
<< <i>He looked at it and said "I'm not so sure this is real" and my response was "it had better be since I bought it from you". >>
60 years into this hobby and I'm still working on my Lincoln set!
<< <i>I don't get the point of buying a FR/AG 16-D for $600+, you can buy a much nicer coin for $1,300ish.
If you can swing the $600, you can swing the $1300 if you save up. >>
I think a VG is about the minimum attractive grade in this series.
60 years into this hobby and I'm still working on my Lincoln set!
<< <i>
<< <i>I suspect that as this century goes on, collecting complete early- and mid-20th century sets will gradually become less popular, and thus the key dates such as the 1916-D dime will become less valuable. Currently there are many collectors who remember when Mercury dimes were in circulation, so this set still has personal significance to them. That will not be true by 2050. >>
I collect Bust Quarters and I know many others who do as well. And there and thousands of people who collect Bust Halves by date and variety. None of these people were alive when BQs and BHs were minted...and yet they're as popular as ever. Mercury Dimes and the other popular coins of the 20th Century will always be popular and collected. 2050 and beyond... >>
Furthermore, I'm a YN and I collect Capped Bust Halves! So there!
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<< <i>All good posts so far..
I'm talking about future return on value.. Meaning, will an AG or FR go up in value in 10 years from now as much as say a VF, XF, AU, or MS would? And will you have an enthusiastic buyer for it? Probably not in my opinion.
But, I think if you have a gorgeous example VF, XF, or better, maybe you can pull in a nice premium 10+ years from now..
All certified of course.
If you're buying one just for your set, then I think any will do if you don't care about how it looks.
bnb >>
If you want to see a potential return, go back 10 years, or even 5 years, and see what the pricing was then. Compare to today's pricing.
That said, there is no guarantee the same type of return will be there in the future, but it does give you an educated start.
Now, also understand that there will always be "high end" buyers, but that the majority of collectors in common series do not have unlimited disposable income. So, how many can/will afford the VF/XF, or better, grades for 1 coin like that? So, liquidity is something to think about as well. You face a commission almost no matter how you sell it (except for something like our BST board here) as a dealer will low ball you most times (he needs to make a profit), TT/Heritage/Ebay/etc all take commissions. Do you have the connections to sell it on your own with no added expense, and be assured you have the right eyes to get the most return? For most folks, the answer is no.
I bought us a nice G4 a few years ago. Pricewise, it was what I felt comfortable with. I could liquidate that level/cost very easily.
I bought us an upgrade late last year. A nice VG10. It was about double the cost. But, I was feeling a bit more comfortable and liked the look.
Will I buy another upgrade? Maybe. Maybe a VF. Doubt it would be higher than that. We like too many coins and I want to continue liking collecting and not just be a "box of 10/20/30" type person. That isn't me, so that isn't how I collect.
All that said, I wouldn't, and didn't, get a FR. Not enough detail for me to enjoy the coin. My son would just see it as another mercury and very little detail as well. So, from a collecting side, for us, it isn't worth it.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
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I'm thrilled to own it; after the 1942/1 it's the Mercury I always wanted most.
It's about doubled in value since I bought it.
As long as people collect Mercuries there will always be a "I finally got one!" market for it.
Many members on this forum that now it cannot fit in my signature. Please ask for entire list.
O'course, mercs aren't my preferred series either. They might become preferred at some point, but I've got a lot more important stuff to locate for now. I do enjoy seeing everyone else's though. tia
<< <i>I suspect that as this century goes on, collecting complete early- and mid-20th century sets will gradually become less popular, and thus the key dates such as the 1916-D dime will become less valuable.
Currently there are many collectors who remember when Mercury dimes were in circulation, so this set still has personal significance to them. That will not be true by 2050.
How many people today seriously attempt to form complete sets of Liberty Seated halves? Few people are alive today who remember when these could readily be found in circulation. Today halves dated in the 1880s, many with total mintages in 4 figures, can be found for less than the price of an AG 1916-D Mercury. I think this is a portend of the future, when Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters and Walking Liberty halves will mostly be collected as type coins. >>
I respectfully disagree.
There is no comparison between the Liberty Seated series and the more "modern" sets that you quoted. Trying to complete a date/mintmark set of Liberty Seated coins is financially stressful for most of us. There are tooooooo many "expensive" dates in attractive circulated grades. The only date in the entire mercury dime series that costs a significant amount of cash is the 16-D. The only prohibitively expensive SLQ date is the 1916. And aside from the 21 halves, that series is relatively affordable too. In my opinion, completing these sets will always be desirable because of their beauty and "relative" affordability. At this point, the pocket change memories have less significance now than they did twenty or thirty years ago. The youngest collectors are drawn to these three series like moths to flames, and for obvious reasons. Take a look at a G-4 Liberty Seated dime and then compare it to a G-4 Mercury. If you were a young collector (and maybe you are), which would you prefer? Of course, there are those who've painstakingly assembled complete sets of Liberty Seated coins in circulated grades, but there are so many more collectors interested in the three aforementioned popular series.
More to the point of the OP, the higher circulated grade 16-D dime will probably do better as an investment than a lower grade. The low grade ones will always be desirable, but a FINE or VF example is clearly more attractive and harder to find. It is expensive for sure, but if it is within your financial means, I'd hold off for the better grade.
<< <i>If you can swing the $600, you can swing the $1300 if you save up. >>
Right.
And if you can swing the $1300 for a VG, you can swing $2200 for a F if you save up.
If you can swing the $2200 for a F, you can swing $3500 for a VF if you save up.
If you can swing the $3500 for a VF, you can swing $5500 for an XF if you save up.
Where does it end?
Maybe all some people *can* swing is the price of an AG example. And as long as they're satisfied with it, why not?
......I collect old stuff......
Thats what I thought (through the OP's own words).
Have you gotten the 3 legger back, and if so, do you think it looks better? Or, did it come back dull/unattractive (after all, I have to imagine conserving a coin to remove a print isn't as simple as a quick dip to remove haze.
The investing/collecting quandry is just a matter of the OP thinking he can make money quickly buying and selling, which just cannot happen. Hopefully the OP will learn that it isn't as easy as buying a 3 legger or '16-D Merc and turning around and selling them. What the OP REALLY should do, if he's really been as successful at 'trading' as he claims, is to study the PM market. Silver went up almost 50% in 2009, gold up almost 25%. Collect for ENJOYMENT, play the markets if you are looking for INVESTMENTS...a word the OP has used NUMEROUS times in the same breath as collecting...and the two are NOT interchangable.
You keep referring to 'about 10 years down the road'...but the junk silver you cleaned, as well as the 3 legger went up for sale PDQ.
Lastly, you learned (I hope) that you can't really tell what a coin is going to look like until it's in hand, so how can you put down 'below par' coins (I'd like to know your definition of 'below par'...is it simply due to the grade being low, like G/AG? Lots of people collect those grades as finances dictate that grade range. If it's just a low grade thing, you could be insulting a number of collectors. Though, and this is FACT, coins get UNDERGRADED. Theoretically, you COULD buy a '16-D in Good, and it COULD be undergraded, allowing you to re-submit and get a higher grade (theres some investment for you). Don't EVER pshaw a coin just because of its grade....you can't tell how nice/bad a coin will be in hand till its there....just think back to the 3 legger you thought was a great coin, only to discover it had issues.
He also stated he did not care if he sold them.
I do not know the series nor did I look at them. I would like to know if his pricing was correct?
<< <i>I was at a show in Tx. early Dec. 2009. A 95 year old dealer/ collector had 2-AU & 1 BU said he wanted $10,000 each. >>
High on the AUs IMHO, but might be good for the BU, who knows. Since all three were raw [I'm assuming], he was WAY high. Way too many cleaned/faked 1916-Ds out there.
These are the better coins.
<< <i>I suspect that as this century goes on, collecting complete early- and mid-20th century sets will gradually become less popular, and thus the key dates such as the 1916-D dime will become less valuable.
Currently there are many collectors who remember when Mercury dimes were in circulation, so this set still has personal significance to them. That will not be true by 2050.
How many people today seriously attempt to form complete sets of Liberty Seated halves? Few people are alive today who remember when these could readily be found in circulation. Today halves dated in the 1880s, many with total mintages in 4 figures, can be found for less than the price of an AG 1916-D Mercury. I think this is a portend of the future, when Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters and Walking Liberty halves will mostly be collected as type coins. >>
There's a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference between Seated Halves and Mercury Dimes. First, a lot of those later dates with 4 digit mintages were heavily hoarded from day one, so while there might have only been 4,800 Halves minted in 1879, there's probably 1,500 of them in existence today if not more. But there's no rare Mercury Dime, and there are a HUGE number of truly rare Seated Halves. Heck, name ONE Mercury dime that's actually tricky to find in any grade aside from some rare die variety. OK, so good luck finding a G-4 1945-P but you get the idea. It's the rarity and expense of some super rare dates that make doing a complete set of SLHs unrealistic for all but seriously well funded and dedicated collectors, it's not those low mintage late dates, it's finding original early coins that is super hard, some of the CC dates, some S mints, etc...
<< <i>
<< <i>If you can swing the $600, you can swing the $1300 if you save up. >>
Right.
And if you can swing the $1300 for a VG, you can swing $2200 for a F if you save up.
If you can swing the $2200 for a F, you can swing $3500 for a VF if you save up.
If you can swing the $3500 for a VF, you can swing $5500 for an XF if you save up.
Where does it end?
Maybe all some people *can* swing is the price of an AG example. And as long as they're satisfied with it, why not? >>
Because I have a circ set of Mercury Dimes, and they are roughly VG-F (It's a set that I started when I was 7). My 16-D is a nice raw VG (Cracked from an NGC or ANACS VG8 holder, I forget which). The difference is, all of my coins have a nice matched look. I've seen plenty of Mercury dime sets where the coins are all nice except the 16-D and maybe even the 21s are AGs. Yuck.
I'd rather NOT have a 16-D in my set if I had to do that, I'd much rather save up and buy one that's matched with the rest of my collection. Of course, this is subjective and YMMV.
merse
Flame away!
<< <i>I don't get the point of buying a FR/AG 16-D for $600+, you can buy a much nicer coin for $1,300ish.
If you can swing the $600, you can swing the $1300 if you save up. >>
Im in this camp
<< <i>
<< <i>I don't get the point of buying a FR/AG 16-D for $600+, you can buy a much nicer coin for $1,300ish.
If you can swing the $600, you can swing the $1300 if you save up. >>
Im in this camp >>
Jack! Good to see you posting again!
Advice you should strongly take. I'm not a CAC kool-aid drinker, but stickered coins DO seem to bring higher premiums...but on the flip side, expect to pay more than, also. 'Stickers' bring out the fatter wallets.
-Fred
Successful BST (me as buyer) with: Collectorcoins, PipestonePete, JasonRiffeRareCoins