Official Mercury Dime Thread:

baseballjeff · November 14, 2013 2:41PM

Let's start it! All things Mercury Dime! Let's hear what your focus is on collecting this coin, goals, and any recent buys.

I started this set a couple months ago and have been chugging along well with the later dated coins going for 65's with FB's. I love the idea of collecting this coin the way the designer intended it for. I find researching this coin fascinating. For example, why FB 1945 dated Mercury Dimes are SO rare because they literally ran the dies down to the ground so the actual number of these FB coins are super rare. Here is a new pickup, I'm pretty excited about!

And of course, as always, open honest feedback, and opinions are always welcome!

Welcome to the official Mercury Dime thread!

Jeff

CoinCast · November 14, 2013 3:13PM

Currently working on a proof set and full set (only major varieties). I just received this guy today (thanks to valente151 for pointing it out). It is the first one I bought for myself in three years. I also just bought a 1942 duplicate that will be here next week.

1939 PCGS PR 67 CAC

baseballjeff · November 14, 2013 3:37PM

Here is my newest pickup!

Pretty excited!

1934 D

ricko · November 14, 2013 9:16PM

Certainly one of the classic designs of U.S. coinage..... nice thread... Cheers, RickO

jmj3esq · November 14, 2013 11:16PM

GotTheBug · November 15, 2013 2:32PM

I've been paying more attention to Mercury dime RPM's thanks to keyman64's enthusiasm for them. A few months ago I thought I had scored a dime cherrypick from a local brick and mortar establishment, but it turns out that the mintmark is struck through grease or something like that and not a cherry. Thanks to keyman64 for researching my coin and also for the professional photos. And here it is, now a resident in my Dansco Mercury dime album.

GotTheBug · November 17, 2013 10:13AM

C'mon people, this is a good idea for a thread. Please don't let this die on the vine - post your Mercury dimes!

mercurydimeguy · November 17, 2013 10:26AM

After I completed the Michael I Registry set of Mercury Dimes, I retired it. I made more than 1/2 of the coins in that collection (bought raw, submitted to PCGS). This is one of my favorite coins of all time. If you saw it in hand, it was as if God took a crayon to the coin. Simply stunning, oozing luster underneath incredible color. This picture is a bit old, but I still have a lot of the old pictures. I don't own this coin anymore (sold off my set after I retired it), but I think someone on this board owns it

Here's the picture -- PCGS MS67FB

valente151 · November 17, 2013 11:14AM

From my rainbow proof merc set...

panexpoguy · November 17, 2013 11:14AM

I don't any of my Mercury dimes at home presently, so no pics. I started work on a FB set about 5 years ago, but it is slow going as I had several different projects I was working on at the same time and I got frustrated that none was complete. So currently I am focused on my Franklin FBL set with 2 more to go on that, and my Peace dollar set, also with two left. I have most of them from 1945 back to 1937 or so, between MS64-66.

robec · November 17, 2013 11:43AM

I love the 1937 Proof!!

Bought this Micro S from Bestclser1 (Lloyd) a few years ago.

baseballjeff · November 17, 2013 12:45PM

Those are some awesome coins showing up on here!

What are people's thoughts on the more minty fresh look? Or slight gold color with just a tint of toning? I find myself bouncing back and forth between the two. For my FB set I'm shooting for the most bright examples unless I got lucky and found one of those sweet toned coins!

keyman64 · November 17, 2013 1:36PM

I am still looking for the following 6 in Mint State, preferably FB, preferably Top Pop:
1934-D/D FS-501
1941 DDO FS-101
1942-Inverted S FS-501
1945 DDO FS-101
1945-D/D FS-506
1945-S/S FS-503

DIMEMAN · November 17, 2013 2:05PM

Here is my 1918-S in PCGS65.....one of my favs.

Bummer.......I guess you can't copy a link from the Registry ....... even though it is listed in the drop down box!

baseballjeff · November 18, 2013 12:59PM

While we are on this great topic of Mercury Dimes I want to ask a question, maybe someone has some pictures that will help.

I am reading in my Mercury Dime book by Lange, and in there is a section on the different obverse face profiles of the Mercury Dime. Maybe I haven't seen enough to distinguish much if any difference between one dated 1916, or one dated 1945. Thoughts? Am I crazy? Reading the book right? Discussion topic maybe?

Thanks everyone!
Jeff

DIMEMAN · November 18, 2013 1:15PM

Yes, there are minor differences in 1916 and 1917 and 1918 on.

The book describes the differences, which are in the feathers on the head.

coinbuf · November 18, 2013 1:40PM

Well I dont own many mercs but here is one.

Type2 · November 18, 2013 4:09PM

keyman64 · November 18, 2013 5:46PM

Very nice Type2.
Here is my 1931-S DDO FS-101. Pop 2/0.

luckybucks · December 5, 2014 10:28AM

Nice Mercs for sure. I am wishing I could get some pics of what I have and make a contribution. Mine are raw......for now, but won't be much longer

baseballjeff · December 6, 2014 4:57AM

<< <i>Nice Mercs for sure. I am wishing I could get some pics of what I have and make a contribution. Mine are raw......for now, but won't be much longer

>>

Look forward to hearing about the results from this upcoming submission!

georgiacop50 · December 6, 2014 12:38PM

Bump fr a thread that jus didn't catch on...

Analyst · December 11, 2014 12:14PM

BaseballJeff: <<I started this set a couple months ago and have been chugging along well with the later dated coins going for 65's with FB's>>

I have recently been researching Mercury Dimes. Admittedly, I am puzzled by this remark. Would Jeff rather have a 65 grade coin with 'full bands' over an otherwise nearly identical 66 grade coin that lacks full bands. The central, horizontal bands make-up a miniscule portion of the reverse of the coin. Yet, the premiums for 'full bands' are sometimes enormous.

Classic U.S. Coins for less than $500 each, Part 8: Mercury Dimes

FadeToBlack, I get a good feeling about the coin of yours that is pictured in this thread. Perhaps this is a coin that is extremely original and very soothing. Did you buy it out of an auction?

Valente151, this seems to be a very pretty 1937. Do you have any other pictures of it?

BaseballJeff: <<What are people's thoughts on the more minty fresh look?>>

I may not fully understand the question. I hopet hat Jeff is not implying that a recently, thoroughly dipped coin looks, in any sense, the way it did when it was minted. Dipping involves the use of acid to strip metal off the coin. When coins are minted, they have delicate finishes that relate in part to die flow lines, the fabric of the planchet and the ways in which the dies were prepared. Much of the original characteristics are obliterated when a coin is dipped, though, of course, coins may recover and naturally retone. Even then, some original features are lost forever.

Understanding Classic U.S. Coins and Building Excellent Coin Collections, Part 2: Dipped Coins

LuckyBucks: << Mine are raw......for now, but won't be much longer >>

Is LuckyBucks is implying that he bought some raw Mercs that are now worth more than $150 each? After all, classic U.S. coins valued at less than $150 each are not usually sent to PCGS for grading. I am curious as to why and how he went about buying raw Mercs and, to what extent, the grades assigned by PCGS are consistent with the grades assigned by the sellers of the raw coins and by LuckyBucks himself. Were expectations met?

DIMEMAN · December 11, 2014 12:38PM

I would take a 66 over a 65FB every day of the week that ends in "y".

baseballjeff · August 8, 2022 3:07PM

How is everyone's Mercury Dime collection coming along? What has been some of the toughest pick ups for you? Has your collecting of the set changed at all over the years?

I am still working on a set MS 63FB, and greater. I found a marvelous 26-S that I am just amazed I found, and was able to put into my collection, and just surpassed the 80% mark. It's slow going, but certainly that is the thrill of this hobby!

All the best,
Jeff

erscolo · August 8, 2022 3:31PM

Here are a couple of Mercury Dimes. The first is a 1937 and the second a 1938S. Both are MS66 FB. I have my 1937-1941 graded and 1942-1945 raw, I have a long way to go, and I am okay with that.

keyman64 · August 8, 2022 4:13PM

@baseballjeff said:
How is everyone's Mercury Dime collection coming along? What has been some of the toughest pick ups for you? Has your collecting of the set changed at all over the years?

I am still working on a set MS 63FB, and greater. I found a marvelous 26-S that I am just amazed I found, and was able to put into my collection, and just surpassed the 80% mark. It's slow going, but certainly that is the thrill of this hobby!

All the best,
Jeff

Congrats on the 26-S...since it is the True Key of the series in MS or MSFB.
Speaking of oooold threads, this was my Key/Semi-Key Date Analysis from way back when.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/858446/mercury-dime-key-semi-key-analysis

I am focused on Merc varieties and high grade toned Mercs.

Here is the Post a Favorite Mercury Dime thread that gets bumped from time to time.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1038399/post-a-favorite-mercury-dime