1938 S Mercury Dime

The Mercury Dime series ran from 1916 to 1945. Adolph A. Weinman designed the coin after winning a 1915 competition held by the Commission of Fine Arts. The obverse features Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap, which led the public to mistake her for the Roman god Mercury. The reverse depicts a fasces, a bundle of rods with an axe, meant to symbolize unity and strength. Weinman chose the winged cap to represent freedom of thought. The Mint replaced the Barber dime with this design to modernize American coinage. The series ended in 1945 when the Mint introduced the Roosevelt dime to honor the late president. You hold a piece of history that circulated through two World Wars and the Great Depression.

Start your collection with common dates from the 1940s, as these are affordable and easy to find in decent condition. Look for full horizontal lines on the fasces, known as Full Bands, because these command higher prices. Avoid coins with heavy scratches or harsh cleanings. Be wary of the 1916-D dime, as counterfeiters often add a D mint mark to common 1916 Philadelphia coins. Use a magnifying glass to check the mint mark for signs of tooling or uneven placement.

This series includes key dates — check individual coin pages for rarity details.