1935 Mercury Dimes 1916-1945 MS64

History

Adolph A. Weinman's dime design entered production in 1916 and ran through 1945, with the U.S. Mint describing the obverse as Liberty in a winged cap symbolizing freedom of thought. The popular name Mercury came from the public, who saw the Roman messenger god in the winged figure, though the coin depicts Liberty. The 1916 coins were struck in higher relief than later issues, and after the relief caused trouble in coin-operated machines the Mint lowered it. The FS-101 doubled die obverse belongs to the 1935 Philadelphia issue, late in the series and well after that adjustment.

Details

Weinman designed both sides of the coin, and the 1935 dimes were struck in the standard alloy of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper at 2.50 grams and 17.90 mm. Philadelphia coins carry no mintmark. Philadelphia reported 58,830,000 dimes for 1935, a figure that covers the entire date rather than the doubled die alone. PCGS catalogs the variety under 929301, with 929302 reserved for examples earning the Full Bands designation.

Features

The obverse shows Liberty facing left in a winged Phrygian cap, LIBERTY around the periphery, the date below the bust truncation toward the rear, and Weinman's monogram of a W surmounting an A behind the neck, below and left of the Y in LIBERTY. Fields carry a slight basin that gives the surfaces a dish-like look. On the reverse a fasces, its axe blade facing left, stands behind a curving olive branch, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcing above, ONE DIME below, two five-pointed stars separating legend from denomination, and E PLURIBUS UNUM to the right of the fasces slightly below center. The variety is collected in two forms, with and without the Full Bands designation awarded for fully separated horizontal bands at the center of the fasces.

Notable facts

• The edge is reeded with 118 reeds.
• Each coin contains 0.07234 troy ounce of silver.
• On the branch-mint dimes of this type, the D and S mintmarks appear on the reverse between the E of ONE and the base of the olive branch.
• Philadelphia was not the only mint striking dimes in 1935; Denver and San Francisco issues exist as well.
• The PCGS auction record for an ordinary 1935 Philadelphia dime is $1,140, set by an MS68 in March 2021.