Key date Mercury dime

I was at an area pawn shop today where the manager showed me this 1916-D Mercury dime; I tried to get a good close-up of the MM knowing how critical that is, but did not have a lot of success. A dealer offered them $725 some weeks ago and the manager was kicking himself he did not take it at the time. I'm thinking Good 4 or better; thoughts?

 

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A solid G grade. Not enough detail for VG.

He should've taken the $725. Saw one on the bay in NGC plastic graded as G4 sell for only $660.

 

I don't think it's real. What little I can see of the mintmark is just not right.

 

I'm 99.9 % sure it's an altered MM . For one a real '16-D has the MM almost touching the leaves , the ops coin MM is a good bit away . Also a real MM is boxy with prominent serifs , the ops MM is long and narrow . Anytime I see a key date coin that's not slabbed I get suspicious especially with all the fake and altered coins out there . Sure hope I'm wrong but I doubt it .

 

Wait hold the phone could u guys Give me the approx price range for 1916 mercy per gradew

 

There are various references on the positions of the D mintmark, I think there are four or so; I would never want to buy one of these unless I had a real expert who knows the difference. Plus pawn shop workers are not always truthful.

 

You can compare the mintmark placing with pics of the four placement diagnostics here: http://www.cointalk.com/threads/dat...hentication-powers.101697/page-2#post-1565411

 

Thanks, coleguy. I looked at this coin when Yankee Peddler priced it at $1200 and thought the MM was suspicious, at least the coin does not look cleaned, lol.

I sold a complete Mercury dime set a while back, except for the overdate, with the key date certified VG cleaned by PCGS for around $800. In my opinion key dates are over-rated.

 

I agree they are over rated. But I recently traded a half eagle for a 16d dime because it's been a blank hole in that set of mine for 20+ years and to finish it off was for me more rewarding than the traded coin. That's really the only key date coin I've been wanting.

 

Whats rarer 1916 merc or 1916 barber (D mintmark if thats what makes the merc rare

 

There were 18.5 million 1916 barber dimes minted so even if somehow 75% of them are lost today, the merc is still far more scarce, though I wouldn't say rare. Like other modern keys, there is no shortage. One can see multiple examples of say 16d dimes and 09svdb's in any coin shop and show anywhere at any time. Scarce, yes. Rare, no.

 

I learned something today , about the 4 different placements . But I'm pretty sure the same punch was used on all four . Can someone answer if there was only one punch used .
I still think the MM is the wrong shape by a large margin . Sure wish we had clearer pics of the MM area .