Obverse: identify the front

The head faces left and wears a winged cap. LIBERTY appears around the upper rim, with IN GOD WE TRUST beside the neck and the date below. The photograph shows 1943; the design depicts Liberty, despite the familiar Mercury nickname.

Reverse: identify the back

A bundle of rods and an axe, known as fasces, stands vertically beside an olive branch. ONE DIME and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA name the denomination and issuer. The photographed reverse has a D mint mark near the lower left of the central design.

History and purpose

The Mint identifies the design as Adolph Weinman’s Winged Liberty dime. It replaced the Barber dime and was followed by the Roosevelt design. Its nickname is a useful search term, but identifying the figure correctly avoids treating the portrait as the Roman god Mercury.

How to identify this variant

Match the winged cap with the fasces-and-olive-branch reverse, then record the date and mint mark. Check the nominal 2.5 g mass, approximately 17.9 mm diameter and reeded edge. A winged-cap image alone is insufficient for identifying the metal of a later commemorative.

Understanding its metal content

The calculation is 2.5 g × 0.9 = 2.25 g fine silver; divide by 31.1034768 to convert grams to troy ounces. The rest of the coin is alloy metal. Quantity totals use nominal content; wear, damage or an incorrect identification can change the content of your actual coins.

Dates, varieties and composition changes

This original silver group runs 1916–1945. Dates, mint marks, overdates and strike designations can matter to collectors without changing the nominal .900 alloy. The pictured 1943-D coin demonstrates a representative design; it does not identify a scarce variety in your collection.

Melt value versus collector value

Keep mint marks and reverse detail visible when sorting. Do not reduce an unusual date or a high-grade piece to its silver weight alone. Condition and correctly attributed varieties require examination of the actual coin, not just a library comparison image.

Authenticity and condition

Compare both sides, legends, edge and measured dimensions. Added mint marks or altered dates can mislead a photograph-only comparison. Preserve original surfaces and request professional evaluation before destructive testing or selling a potentially important piece.

Selling this coin

Organize Mercury dimes by date and mint mark, with questionable or unusually detailed pieces separate. Use the photo appraisal form to show the obverse date and reverse mark. A calculated quantity total records nominal silver, not a guaranteed bid.

Sources and calculation methodology

The Mint reference supports the historical design or composition distinction described here. The separate specification record documents gross mass, silver fineness and diameter; numerical source claims are recorded individually. Fixed decimal arithmetic calculates silver content without copying a reference site’s prices. No approved live silver-price feed is configured, so dollar melt values remain unavailable. Photo identities and reuse rights are reviewed separately.

Common questions

References

• U.S. Mint: Dime history — identity; dates 1916–1945; design Adolph Weinman, Winged Liberty, fasces and olive branch (checked 2026-10-10)

Issue-year references

• PCGS: Mercury dime issue chronology

Content maintained by CashForCoins. Last substantive record update: 2026-10-10. Report a specification or attribution issue through our contact page.

Related coins

Barber Dime

Photo credits and rights on the linked coin profile.

United States • 90% silver, 10% copper

Issue years: 1892–1916

Fine silver: 0.072339 troy oz

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