PARRIS ISLAND COINS » 1943 Mercury Dime Value: How Much is it Worth Today?

1943 Mercury Dime Value: How Much is it Worth Today?

1943 mercury dime value

You’ve arrived at this page because you’re curious about the 1943 Mercury Dime value and other information about this historic coin.

The 1943 Mercury Dime is a coin of great historical significance because it was issued shortly before the end of WWII.

That is why many people are drawn to this coin. It is not one of the most expensive or rare coins available, but it is an excellent place to begin your collection or to invest in a high gem-grade specimen and let time do its work, as these coins will undoubtedly cost much more in the future.

We will provide you with all of the information you need to determine whether or not it is a good idea to invest in this legendary American currency in this article.

1943 Mercury Dime Value Chart

Quality 1943 No Mint Mark Mercury Dime Value 1943 San Francisco (S) Mercury Dime Value 1943 Denver (D) Mercury Dime Value
Good $2 $2 $2
Very Good $2 $2 $2
Fine $2.15 $2.15 $2.15
Very Fine $2.75 $2.75 $2.75
Extra Fine $3.25 $3.25 $3.25
Uncirculated $6.50 $6.50 $6.50
MS 60 $9 $9 $9
MS 61 $9 $9 $9
MS 62 $9 $9 $9
MS 63 $11 $13 $13
MS 64 $19 $19 $19
MS 65 $26 $26 $26
MS 66 $36 $36 $36
MS 67 $60 $60 $60
MS 68 — $600 —

There was a strong movement to change the dime at the turn of the twentieth century. A contest was held to choose between several designs, but the prize was unappealing, and the contest was a failure because only a few artists entered.

Among the participants was Charles E. Barber, who had worked for the mint for over 30 years and had collaborated on several coin designs.

As a hoarder, he would have preferred that as many of his designs as possible had been chosen. Despite no longer working for the mint, Charles E. Barber always had influences and contacts that kept him alive whenever there was a contest, but the 20th century would no longer favor Barber with the luck it had in the last century.

After a while, sculptor Victor David Brenner sent some designs for the dime that he had created on his initiative, but they did not pay much attention at the time and told him that the mint was preoccupied with other matters.

As pressure mounted from all sides to change the coin, it was decided in 1915 to create new designs for the dime. Before holding an open competition, the mint is asked to submit some designs created by their internal engravers to see if they can solve the problem among themselves.

The designs by artist Adolph A. Weinman caught the eye and were chosen over Barbers.

The coin’s production began in late 1916 and lasted until 1945. The 1943 dime was struck in three cities: Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver.

This was a tricky coin because many product vending machines reported that dimes were not accepted. That is also why, as soon as they were no longer legal tender, the American government proposed a new coin with Roosevelt’s letter on the obverse.

1943 No Mint Mark (Philadelphia) Mercury Dime Value

1943 No Mint Mark (Philadelphia) Mercury Dime Value
Image Credit: USA Coin Book

A total of 324,059,000 coins were minted in 1943. The majority of the coins were destined for the Philadelphia mint.

Philadelphia was always the mint that handled the majority of the production, but other branches such as Denver or San Francisco assisted in completing production.

Because the coins printed in Philadelphia lack any type of mint mark, it is unnecessary to spend time looking for any sign or abbreviation that identifies these coins.

The Mercury Dime is one of the few coins still struck with 90% silver and 10% copper. This is significant. During the Second World War, they tried to save as many precious metals as possible because they were important inputs for the war.

While the 1943 Mercury Dime is not particularly valuable, even in well-preserved specimens, it is still a popular coin among collectors, either because of its historical significance or because it is an excellent coin with which to begin a coin collection.

The Mercury Dime was thought to be one of the most beautiful coins ever made. And this is even though this coin caused a lot of confusion when it was first released.

Adolph A. Weinman created the Mercury Dime with the best of intentions of creating a coin representing freedom of thought, but people interpreted the coin in their way.

Because most people did not have all of the necessary knowledge to understand the artist’s intention, it was given the name Mercury Dime.

People were intrigued by Lady Liberty’s cap on the obverse of the coin, as well as the wings that adorn the cap. As a result, people immediately linked Lady Liberty and the cap to the god Mercury, who is depicted wearing a cap and sandals with wings.

The coin’s true name is Winged Liberty Head, but people decided to rename it the Mercury Dime.

Obverse

1943 dime Obverse
Image Credit: Amazon

Lady Liberty is depicted on the coin’s obverse. Since the Lincoln Cent, all American coins have gradually changed to designs of former presidents on the obverse, making this one of the last coins with Lady Liberty as the protagonist. The same thing happened a few years later with this coin, which was exchanged for one bearing President Roosevelt’s face.

The image and cap of Lady Liberty on the obverse earned this coin its nickname. The hat is Phrygian in origin and is very popular in the Balkans.

Slaves in the Roman Empire had the option of purchasing their freedom or having it purchased for them by a master. The Phrygian caps that most freedmen began to wear were one way to identify these former slaves.

The Phrygian cap became synonymous with liberty over time. As a result, this cap appears on numerous coin designs. But this time, the artist wanted the hat to represent something much broader, freedom of thought.

To make the image more powerful, he decided to add wings to the Phrygian hat, as the concept of free thought would be better understood this way. But what Weinman didn’t count on was how easy it can be for people to interpret one thing for another.

It is unknown whether this was done by chance or on purpose, but the coin contains several details that are reminiscent of Roman culture, and when people received the coin, they immediately associated it with the most similar Roman god they knew: Mercury.

People did not give the matter much thought because Mercury was always represented with wings on the sandals and the hat, so they renamed the coin, leaving behind the good intentions of symbolizing the freedom of thought.

The coin also bears the words LIBERTY on the top edge and the phrase IN GOD WE TRUST on the bottom left. The coin’s minting date is located below the bust of Lady Liberty, slightly to the bottom right of the coin.

Reverse

1943 dime Reverse

The reverse of the coin has a very well-executed design, but it is oddly embellished with elements reminiscent of Roman culture. A fasces is the main element on the reverse.

A fasces is an Etruscan civilization symbol that later became part of ancient Rome’s culture. A fasces is a cluster of tied rods that frequently present an ax that protrudes from among the rods.

This symbol represented a Roman magistrate’s power and authority. Surprisingly, the design is adorned with an olive branch, which represents peace. This is somewhat contradictory, given that the fasces is typically associated with power and military force.

The spirit of this coin is often interpreted as conveying a message of peace as well as demonstrating the courage and determination it takes to transition from peace to war.

The words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA are located on the coin’s upper edge. On the bottom edge, the words ONE DIME are visible. Between ONE DIME and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA are two stars.

E PLURIBUS UNUM is also written on the right side of the coin. This is a Latin phrase that means “one of many”. It is a timeless and unavoidable phrase on US coins.

Coins printed in Philadelphia do not have a mint mark, but it is on the reverse of the coin that all mint marks are found. Just below the olive branch.

Value

A 1943 Mercury Dime is an excellent place to start a coin collection. It is a coin with historical significance, a beautiful design, is easy to find, and is reasonably priced. A coin that has been in circulation and is in good condition is worth between two and four dollars.

Uncirculated coins cost at least $6, and their value rises as their degree of conservation improves. But don’t be alarmed; the best specimens won’t set you back more than $30.

This coin only becomes expensive in the MS 68 range, but it is extremely difficult to find Philadelphia coins in that condition.

But the coins that are worth a lot of money are those that have the complete bands of the well-minted fasces. One of these examples in MS 68 quality sold for $19,550 in 2010.

1943 San Francisco (S) Mercury Dime Value

1943 San Francisco (S) Mercury Dime Value

The San Francisco Mint minted 60,400,000 coins. Even though this mint minted the smallest percentage of the production, the coins from San Francisco are still many and their value does not differ much from the coins from Denver and Philadelphia.

To identify a San Francisco coin, you need to look for the letter “S” on the reverse side of the coin. The mint mark is just below the olive branch.

Value

The value of the coins in circulation ranges from 2 to 6 dollars. The uncirculated pieces can go up to 60 dollars, but the pieces with grade MS 68 are just beginning to have a significant figure. If you want to buy one of these coins in its best grade, it will cost you about 600 dollars.

High-grade coins with full bands cost between $2,000 and $3,000,000 each. A coin from the San Francisco house is known to have sold for $16,800 last year.

1943 Denver (D) Mercury Dime Value

1943 Denver (D) Mercury Dime Value

The Denver house contributed 71,949,000 in the 1943 production. It was the second most minted coin. The number of coins has remained high over the years and has made this coin a collectible piece that does not require much money to buy.

To identify a Denver coin, just look for the letter “D” on the reverse of the coin, just below the olive branch that decorates the reverse.

Value

Circulation as well as uncirculated and mint quality copies cost the same as their Philadelphia and San Francisco counterparts. You can find these coins between 2 and 60 dollars each.

The MS 68 gem-grade coins will cost you a few thousand dollars. It is known that in 2019 a collector paid $14,688 for an MS 68 with full bands.

1943 Mercury Dime Grading

The cost of a coin must be determined, and the best way to do so is to understand its degrees of conservation. We leave you with a video in which you can review the information about the price and value of this coin in its various degrees of conservation.

Rare 1943 Mercury Dime Error List

The 1943 Mercury Dime does not have major errors on record, but there is one element that will make your coin go from a few dollars to thousands of dollars for a simple detail.

1943 Mercury Dime Full Bands

1943 Mercury Dime Full Bands
Image Credit: Heritage Auctions

It is not strictly an error, but rather the inverse. Full-banded coins are those that have been correctly minted and have all of the fasces bands complete.

This is extremely rare in most coins, which were not minted with full bands, but some do have this minor distinction, which adds to the coin’s value.

1943 Mercury Dime FAQ

How do I know if my 1943 dime is worth money?

All mercury dimes are worth money. If it is in very poor condition, you can sell it for its silver value. Remember that they are made of 90% silver.

Specimens in good condition can cost from 2 to 60 dollars and you will have to set aside a few hundred dollars for specimens in quality MS 68 or higher.

Is the 1943 Mercury dime rare?

No. 1943 Mercury Dimes are very common coins that can be found at affordable prices. Only gem-quality specimens in their highest grade or coins with all bands in full are expensive.

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