1919 Mercury Dime - CONFIRMED: DDO Discovery Piece (Census in 1st post)

StrikeOutXXX · December 21, 2021 5:47AM

Fishteeth's FR-Ish raw dime has been assigned coin 39 in the census, congrats! - Please update us if you do send it in.

There is also a 3rd FR in the PCGS Pop Report now - Have to do some sleuthing to see if it's another new discovery, maybe that reddit coin (37) we thought might go AG, or a cross (although there were no NGC FRs)

StrikeOutXXX · February 12, 2022 11:28AM

Well, we're near a 7 year anniversary of this adventure.

Still waiting on the Cherrypickers' Guide - 6th Edition, Volume II, which should feature this.

Still no separate price guide listings in any trade publications that I know of.

I think I've kept the census up fairly well during this time, new discoveries and sales seem to come in short spurts, with moments of deafening silence.

To date, the census has 40 coins (Still waiting to confirm #40, but it's likely new) so 7 new were added in the last calendar year, including a new Top Pop. There were 5 completed sales in the last year as well. There are at least 2 listed right now with static prices, one on eBay, one on a dealer's site.

I don't have much else to add to the thread except the standard - send me a PM if you have anything to add to the census.

Specific things I would like if you can help.

1) Pictures of coin 22 (PCGS VG8) currently in the jwinter(2) registry set or a contact to the owner
2) Info on coin or owner of the recently certified coin 38 - NGC AU-55 Top Pop (Would love to get better pictures to study)
3) Info/pictures on coin 40 - recently added PCGS FR-2 (Dec 2021) - trying to confirm if new/cross, etc

Hopefully the next year is a bit more interesting, perhaps that elusive uncirculated example will show up (although we came close this year).

LanceNewmanOCC · February 12, 2022 2:14PM

@StrikeOutXXX said:

@CaptHenway said:
I wonder what a solid no questions Mint State coin would bring if one were ever found?

Good question. If you look at the 1916 DDO Buff you like to compare this to, PCGS Price guide is just about double at every grade than the Merc today.

If that held true, would put the Merc about:

60 - $30,000
61 - $37,500
62 - $47,500
63 - $ 87,500
64 - $137,500

it is a good scale but if i find one, especially in FB unc, it's going to be sold for A LOT more than those estimates or it can sit in the SDB. it is a matter of pop rarity and desirability. one lone monster of an unc is a maker's market. although chaos rules so perhaps 2 or 3 would make the price even higher. collectables are odd that way. pure speculation on my part though.

kuwegg57 · April 26, 2022 2:12PM

AG 03 for sale
https://www.collectorscorner.com/Products/Item.aspx?id=56390519

DelawareDoons · April 26, 2022 2:15PM

Still haven't found one. Sooner or later...

StrikeOutXXX · April 26, 2022 2:54PM

Thanks @kuwegg57 that is coin 35 in the census. Mr. Fortin has had it on his website through winter.

keyman64 · April 26, 2022 4:04PM

@StrikeOutXXX
Thank you for all your work on this topic over the years. Without your organization, we would know very little about the population. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
It's people like you that make this community special.

fishteeth · April 26, 2022 4:31PM

This is a fun thread. My son keeps looking for a second one. A local dealer is saving every 1919 he gets in for me to look at. Have looked at over 400 this year in his shop and in bags of scrap silver. Still the only one we have found was in a bag of unc Roosevelt's. I think these are pretty rare

D808LF · April 26, 2022 5:44PM

Great job on the update page. It's been fun following this subject all these years.

BLUEJAYWAY · April 26, 2022 8:18PM

I echo above posters compliments. Thanks for your efforts.

JonMN34 · June 27, 2022 2:54PM

Looks like number 41 has been discovered

https://www.reddit.com/r/coins/comments/v4e4xl/1919_10c_mercury_dime_ddo_fs101_population_now_41/

StrikeOutXXX · June 28, 2022 4:57AM

Thank you @JonMN34 I missed that one.

That is the 3rd one that user has found on Reddit - he is almost rivaling Bjorn (Think he's found 4 or 5 so far).

Number 41 has been added, I'll call it Good Details - Damaged for now. Looks like maybe a Good-6 Details that was run over in a parking lot, so hard to tell if it would squeak out a VG details, but for the raw ones, just using my best judgement.

It's a Stage B example

StrikeOutXXX · July 8, 2022 8:27AM

FAIR WARNING - NOT MY COIN, ONLY POSTING TO SPREAD AWARENESS

The NGC AU-55 coin (Number 38 in the census) is on Great Collections with a closing date of July 31st. I'm surprised GC didn't add a little more to the listing.

https://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/1173587/1919-Mercury-Dime-FS-101-DDO-NGC-AU-55-CAC

This coin became the new "Top Pop" last December, and I am guessing it will set a new sales record. It has been "CAC'd" now as well. There have been 39 recorded sales of the DDO, obviously the vast majority are the FR-Goods and the details coins anywhere from $200 - $2,750. The top seven publicized sales dollar-wise are below. I know there were others in this range of those coins which the folks involved didn't want it publicized as well, including my original sale of the discovery coin. While the lower graded coins have stayed fairly solid price-wise with a tiny bit of weakening as more AG/G's show up, the few VG and above coins seem to have stayed pretty solid. The XF-40 coin did dip once a new Top Pop came out at that time (The XF-45) but I still think the better examples will do well currently and over time.

(8) PCGS XF45 - $10,000 (10/2017 - Private Sale: Rick Snow > Dimeman)
(4) PCGS XF40 - $9,075 (2/14/16 GC)
(4) PCGS XF40 - $7,800 (8/22/18 - Stacks & Bowers ANA)
(1) PCGS VF20 (CAC) - $4,290 (2/26/17 GC)
(1) PCGS VF20 (CAC) - $3,960 (8/21/16 GC)
(27) PCGS F12 - $3,240 (4/23/20 Heritage)
(3) PCGS VG8 - $2,880 (9/7/18 Heritage)

So almost 7.5 years since we started this DDO Adventure, only 41 known (to me) in the census, and an about 6-month old Top Pop for sale for the first time - who cares to venture a guess on final selling price?

It's curious the owner went the NGC route, but to each their own.

I like whole numbers, so I'll guess $16,000 hammer, ($18,000 with BP).

CaptHenway · July 8, 2022 9:06AM

That is rather minimalist. A blowup picture would have been nice, also.

LanceNewmanOCC · July 8, 2022 9:09AM

@StrikeOutXXX said:
FAIR WARNING - NOT MY COIN, ONLY POSTING TO SPREAD AWARENESS

The NGC AU-55 coin (Number 38 in the census) is on Great Collections with a closing date of July 31st. I'm surprised GC didn't add a little more to the listing.

.
considering the popularity and it being a top-pop? i'm a bit shocked as well. i have a prediction about this but i'll keep it to myself and wait and watch.

gratz to whomever found that sucker!

forgot to add my price guess!

since it is cac, i'll go $25k with juice.

justmenutty72 · July 8, 2022 11:32AM

I don’t agree with that AU55 grade, jmo 🤔 looks like an AU50 all day long. I can’t believe there’s a CAC sticker on it either 🧐🤨

keyman64 · July 8, 2022 12:24PM

I would think the buyer of the coin will likely cross it to PCGS as a 53, get a True View and then we will have a large photo to look at.

oih82w8 · July 19, 2022 8:05AM

Until someone posts a larger image of the GC coin I believe is on subject...

UpGrayedd · July 19, 2022 9:39AM

Been looking for one of these in the wild ever since they were first discovered, but no luck so far.

I don't want to start a flame war, and grading Mercury Dimes is not my area of expertise. Accordingly, I appreciate our hosts and will fully admit they are the market leader. However, I have a hard time understanding why anyone would intentionally risk and/or seek a potential downgrade on a coin with a green bean just to get it into PCGS plastic. And this is coming from a slab collector who routinely pays up for plastic.

keyman64 · July 19, 2022 9:59AM

@UpGrayedd said:
Been looking for one of these in the wild ever since they were first discovered, but no luck so far.

I don't want to start a flame war, and grading Mercury Dimes is not my area of expertise. Accordingly, I appreciate our hosts and will fully admit they are the market leader. However, I have a hard time understanding why anyone would intentionally risk and/or seek a potential downgrade on a coin with a green bean just to get it into PCGS plastic. And this is coming from a slab collector who routinely pays up for plastic.

PCGS Registry Set is the simple answer.
It will visit the bean factory after it is crossed, likely at a lower grade…but still higher than the current AU50 PCGS top pop. When it is finest known and in this grade range, the grade won’t matter much as long as it can cross at 53. My 2 cents.

UpGrayedd · July 19, 2022 10:08AM

@keyman64 said:

@UpGrayedd said:
Been looking for one of these in the wild ever since they were first discovered, but no luck so far.

I don't want to start a flame war, and grading Mercury Dimes is not my area of expertise. Accordingly, I appreciate our hosts and will fully admit they are the market leader. However, I have a hard time understanding why anyone would intentionally risk and/or seek a potential downgrade on a coin with a green bean just to get it into PCGS plastic. And this is coming from a slab collector who routinely pays up for plastic.

PCGS Registry Set is the simple answer.
It will visit the bean factory after it is crossed, likely at a lower grade…but still higher than the current AU50 PCGS top pop. When it is finest known and in this grade range, the grade won’t matter much as long as it can cross at 53. My 2 cents.

I agree with the registry set angle, and fully understand why someone would want to cross it. I would just want to cross it at the current grade, especially since it has a green bean. If it did cross as an AU53, should JA then give it a gold bean? I also agree that as the top pop the grade doesn't really matter, until someone finds a better one (hopefully me ).

StrikeOutXXX · July 19, 2022 10:24AM

With the 2nd best straight-graded coin being the PCGS XF45 whether the new owner crosses it to PCGS at 55 or 53, it's still going to be the top pop, and last I knew, Hanson only had an AG3 in his variety set if he was a player. We all know how much he likes top pops and this one would be cheap compared to many of his other coins, so may have a nice bidding war in the last 5 minutes of that auction.

At $3,600 with just under a few weeks left, it's still between F-VF money, so has a lot of room to move still I think.

The NGC Cert lookup images are a tad better/little more detail than the GC images, neither of which are up to TruView quality, but I don't think it is all that horrible, just can't tell how much luster is left, and if the lacking bands are wear or weak strike, etc. If JA and company laid eyes and beaned it at a 55, I'd take their word over the pictures I have access to for now I guess.

Have my alarm set for that auction close - looking forward to see where she lands.

StrikeOutXXX · July 31, 2022 4:55PM

The coin closed at: $23,062.50 ($20,500 bid + $2,562.50 BP)

Congrats to the new owner. If it ever gets crossed to PCGS, looking forward to the TruViews!

keyman64 · July 31, 2022 5:17PM

@StrikeOutXXX said:
The coin closed at: $23,062.50 ($20,500 bid + $2,562.50 BP)

Congrats to the new owner. If it ever gets crossed to PCGS, looking forward to the TruViews!

It will be crossed to PCGS with True View soon.
Edit: No, I did not win it. Nor did I bid on it. No idea why @UpGrayedd laughed at my post in this thread on July 8th. Clearly out of the loop on things.

UpGrayedd · July 31, 2022 8:34PM

@keyman64 said:

@StrikeOutXXX said:
The coin closed at: $23,062.50 ($20,500 bid + $2,562.50 BP)

Congrats to the new owner. If it ever gets crossed to PCGS, looking forward to the TruViews!

It will be crossed to PCGS with True View soon.
Edit: No, I did not win it. Nor did I bid on it. No idea why @UpGrayedd laughed at my post in this thread on July 8th. Clearly out of the loop on things.

@keyman64 I Didn't know I hit the LOL. I honestly was confused by your post at first and had to go back and find what you were referring to. No offense was intended, it must have been my fat fingers. I have changed it to a like, and I hope there are no hard feelings.

UpGrayedd · July 31, 2022 8:58PM

Congrats to the buyer and the seller.

StrikeOutXXX · August 24, 2022 9:29AM

Added Coin #42 to the census:

42) PCGS AG-3 - Listed on eBay 8/2022 seller: reedededge- Sold eBay BIN of $1,395 8/23/22
Cert: 545047.03/46004231
Stage B

I'm 99% sure it's a new cert versus one of the raws previously known that was graded, but will double-check my photo archive when I get home today.

Sold pretty quick on eBay with a BIN of $1395.

Here is the completed listing:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334540566005?hash=item4de42bedf5:g:-~UAAOSw0tFjBQU3&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoMa+xpFhtcJVH+O6MKpubxvx66zGbY+IFXDEuJz4kx/BMqE9o2Z8ZKqCJ6bNAEACqz3r478VoMkqplyQDjsfoem5hp8aAGus1C3W8srWBnjfbJeywNM2w8bU+eGhJXNUt+EPleqS6GjJQgaNSIR1T+iQhKXVHpfchUMKLX2GKNUXarJeMUyE3A3BmL2eyQ24niJGkH46az3CRhxT4uKz+og=|tkp:Bk9SR-yxrIraYA&nma=true&si=OdQX5qTs80GKSONVKTNbcVYgOuA%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

CaptHenway · August 28, 2022 3:25PM

Do you have this one currently up on the Bay?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225130391042?hash=item346ad12602:g:2PcAAOSww6RjA8AU&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoBR85VUfZTvXpom1st697fIyfFLDlzNiPiaJ0yqCTDcrEMUMfMYxuBqkoeEa7aHqjNLUnk0d8TG0otpGazR6EXTxBM5m9noEYnxEAdLiDNxbpkTZLydXoJKnc3jSfPEEr1HP3VW/J+Od0LX1SgMo2ydE8JmB07rJV6LfnRC8nyVcbIT8Outjo8AQLtM+a0blJea9K4HKV7x2SEUkK3yZ++Q=|tkp:Bk9SR8yL0OjcYA

StrikeOutXXX · August 28, 2022 4:17PM

I do @CaptHenway - it is coin #41 - just recently certified, but found raw in June. - Thanks for keeping an eye out!

41) NGC AG Details - Damaged - Reddit member wordisborn discovered and posted June 2022. Listed in NGC Details Holder on eBay 8/25/22 with starting bid of $1,050
Cert: 6475028-020
Stage B

Walkerlover · August 28, 2022 8:07PM

I don’t see all the fuss about this dime. Doubling is only moderate in one spot of coin. No comparison to the various Lincoln Cent DDO

BLUEJAYWAY · August 29, 2022 12:41AM

@Walkerlover said:
I don’t see all the fuss about this dime. Doubling is only moderate in one spot of coin. No comparison to the various Lincoln Cent DDO

I believe the allure has to do with 2 points. 1) Fact took so many years for it's discovery and 2) The relative scarcity, known examples, and likely survival rate is low. But I do agree with you the 55/55 would trump (not being political) the dimes appearance.

fishteeth · August 30, 2022 6:10PM

This is coin #39 that my son found last December the grade just posted today.

StrikeOutXXX · October 20, 2022 8:38AM

Looks like the NGC AU55 crossed to PCGS AU50

https://www.pcgs.com/cert/46260965

CaptHenway · October 20, 2022 8:45AM

Looks about right. And a darn fine coin it is, regardless of what the plastic says!

Sandman70gt · October 20, 2022 10:49AM

Strange that is was cac'd at ngc55.
Wonder if it'll get a gold bean now?

UpGrayedd · October 25, 2022 8:56AM

The good news is that after seven years of searching I believe that I have finally found a 1919 DDO in the wild. The bad news is that it is in terrible shape, and looks like it spent some time in a parking lot, LOL.

It's rough and my photography skills aren't the best, but I believe it is the DDO and probably in AG Details/damaged condition. What say you?

StrikeOutXXX · October 25, 2022 9:39AM

@UpGrayedd I say you've just added #43 to the census, congratulations!

You said in the wild - care to share the expanded story on your find?

UpGrayedd · October 25, 2022 10:20AM

@StrikeOutXXX said:
@UpGrayedd I say you've just added #43 to the census, congratulations!

You said in the wild - care to share the expanded story on your find?

Thanks @StrikeOutXXX.

Sure, it was unattributed on ebay in an excruciatingly long 9 day auction. Unfortunately, two other bidders (maybe someone on here) saw the same thing I did and our last second snipes pushed the price up to $167.50. More than I would have liked, but I'm still okay with it.

I paid instantly, then the seller took four days after immediately generating a tracking number to actually ship the coin. I know this isn't technically a long time, and it's first world problems, but I wasn't sure if they normally take their time or if they were trying to figure out why such a seemingly low value coin sold for so much.

With the 9 day auction and "extended" shipping time, the wait and anticipation almost killed me. LOL 😆

DCW · October 25, 2022 5:28PM

@UpGrayedd

I was your underbidder. Your pics make the coin look alot better than the scans, so congrats. I left a little meat on the bone for you, so you should be all right with the pick despite the condition.
A rather obvious pick for anyone looking. Inexplicably, the piece was run up to $36 with many days left to go. Non variety is like $2, so this really drew unnecessary attention to the curious.

If I was the seller, the bidding would have caused me to have a hard look at what I was selling.
Again, congrats and enjoy.

UpGrayedd · October 25, 2022 6:31PM

@DCW said:
@UpGrayedd

I was your underbidder. Your pics make the coin look alot better than the scans, so congrats. I left a little meat on the bone for you, so you should be all right with the pick despite the condition.
A rather obvious pick for anyone looking. Inexplicably, the piece was run up to $36 with many days left to go. Non variety is like $2, so this really drew unnecessary attention to the curious.

If I was the seller, the bidding would have caused me to have a hard look at what I was selling.
Again, congrats and enjoy.

Thanks @DCW, I was a little nervous about what the seller was thinking. I can only imagine what was going through their mind, but to their credit they followed through.

I didn't mention it earlier, but as you showed with the seller's scan, I did get a 2.5 grain silver bar as a bonus. I didn't know they made them that small. 😆

keyman64 · October 26, 2022 8:32PM

@StrikeOutXXX
Feel free to edit the first post in this thread to mention they are all owned by Merc Madness in the census. You can note the CAC status as well. It was interesting to see CAC provide a green sticker to the NGC 55 but when it crossed to PCGS 50, only a green sticker.

BLUEJAYWAY · October 26, 2022 8:52PM

Kudos to the seller for keeping their word on the sale.

StrikeOutXXX · October 27, 2022 2:05PM

Thanks @keyman64 updated the census with the CAC's I didn't have. Someone is cornering the market on the ones over Good huh?

keyman64 · October 27, 2022 2:14PM

@StrikeOutXXX said:
Thanks @keyman64 updated the census with the CAC's I didn't have. Someone is cornering the market on the ones over Good huh?

I can’t speak to Merc Madness’ long term ambitions but he does seem to like the variety and focuses on quality instead of just filling a hole.

CaptHenway · November 8, 2022 10:58AM

DON't put this one in the Census:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/325415978967?hash=item4bc44dc7d7:g:m54AAOSwviJjaiFy&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoMswd9GfNh4PRO+tO5VdZMn5w38t9yUg99DRDHo1KndBZ09Xox3ilmS8LCV1gExHCga5UIxNPgfskI6bBE5xta0UEFZmFY92bc/iQ3CdU1otT/lw6ER8HOtvkMPq2Qypxqa5or6d/Xi8DpZGeba+lC2PvcrNToQaNTcGL0InsK+V91Exz5Fu5lY2nq53puru8W/M4+k+yx1eySLl/yykHyI=|tkp:Bk9SR8LOhYaLYQ

gonzer · November 8, 2022 11:06AM

@CaptHenway said:
DON't put this one in the Census:

Not even close

StrikeOutXXX · November 8, 2022 11:10AM

Yea, for sure not.

I see several, usually on sites like Etsy and Rubylane, etc with machine doubling of the date advertised as the DDO as well. A lot of wishful thinking.

Treashunt · November 14, 2022 6:30AM

Over at Coin talk a poster just examined 1,850 1919 P Mercs.

He found 3 DDO'd.

Link [for the census}:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/so-just-how-rare-is-the-1919-ddo-dime.400899/

The OP asked for this to be posted, since he does not have an account here

StrikeOutXXX · November 14, 2022 10:34AM

Nice, I'll assign them 44,45 and 46 in the census this evening. They do all look AG.

That guy must have had a ball looking through 1850 1919P dimes - who would have thought someone would have that many! Thanks TypeCoin971793!!

StrikeOutXXX · November 14, 2022 3:19PM

OK, thought I had an account at Coin Talk to reply to you there - still waiting on password reset, but TypeCoin971793 - Your 3 are #44-46 in the census. I just went top left, top right, bottom of your pictures.

Your top right one is a "Stage B" as CONECA calls it - has the die crack between R and T of LIBERTY.
http://varietyvista.com/06 Mercury Dime/1919PDDO001.htm

Thanks for reporting them and great finds! Please update your thread if you ever get them graded, or if you list them somewhere so I can keep track of them best I can.

1919 Mercury Dime - CONFIRMED: DDO Discovery Piece (Census in 1st post)

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