The Mercury dime (officially the Winged Liberty Head dime) was designed by Adolph A. Weinman and minted from 1916 to 1945. It contains 0.0723 troy ounces of 90% silver, yielding 0.0651 troy ounces of pure silver per coin. The coin weighs 2.5 grams with 2.25 grams of silver content.
Despite being the smallest denomination silver coin commonly collected, Mercury dimes are among the most popular with both stackers and numismatists. Their small size makes them ideal for fractional silver holdings and potential barter use. A full roll of 50 Mercury dimes ($5 face value) contains approximately 3.617 oz of silver.
The 1916-D is the undisputed key date of the series, with a mintage of only 264,000. Even in low grades it commands premiums of $1,000+. The Full Split Bands (FSB) designation on the reverse fasces adds significant premium to any date. For stackers, common-date Mercury dimes typically trade at a small premium over melt — slightly higher than Roosevelt dimes due to their collector appeal and older vintage.
Common dates trade at a small premium over melt. The 1916-D is the key date worth $1,000+ in any condition. Full Split Bands (FSB) specimens command added premiums.