Mercury Head Dimes

Just BE CAREFUL!! Try not to add any more dings or dents to the coin or rims then there is now. A couple dings can reduce a coin's value significantly.

A 16-D dime can go for some big money if authentic.

 

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Hi again and congratulations,

Ballpark figures based upon your estimated grading:

16-D ~2000+
21 ~100+
21-D ~200+
42/1 ~650+

Note that these are very rough from CoinTrends November. Everything depends upon condition. Nice looking coins (appearance although related to condition is not the same thing - you can have a Very Fine coin that looks nasty and a Very Good coin that's clean and appealing) and Certified coins can fetch a lot more.

However, it is ABSOLUTELY worth your while to have them certified by either PCGS or NGC. Yeah, it'll cost you $100 odd for the 4 of them, but make it so much easier to sell them - it that's what you choose to do.

Take a look see at EBAY and type in these dates under the coin heading like 1916-D Mercury Dime, etc. It'll give you a great idea of what they're selling for. Also, note that whenever something is certified by PCGS or NGC it seems to translate into a higer selling price. This is largely because the buyer is Assured of the authenticity, condition, etc.

Gee, you got any more of those musty old Whitman folders lying around?

Nice way to start the new year, what.

peace,

rono

 

Attached are scans of the 1916D front, back and zoomed in on the D. Also attached are the 1921 front and back.

 

Attached are 1921D front, back and zoom in on the D

 

Attached are scans of 1942 2 over 1 front, back and zoomed in on the 2

 

looks:
Nice coins, you are sure lucky!
They look good from here, but I'd still get the 1916 D and the 1942/1 certified, in the event that you ever decide to sell.

 

Could you get a larger scan of the D mintmark on the 1916-D?....if you can't that is alright---its just too small for me to really tell if there is a good chance if it is real or not.

I would grade the 1916-D a G6, the 1921-P VG/F, the 1921-D AG/G, and the 1942/1 a nice F.
You were pretty good on the grading!---The reason my grading is alittle lower is this--the rims on the coins are worn down and there isnt' a good defined rim all the way around the coin---the 1942/1 is the best---that will lower the grade a tad--if the rim was better than the coins would be higher graded.

The coins are in nice shape---and I think it would be well worth it to send to to NGC---their site is www.ngccoin.com
You will need to pay a fee to join their club....It will be $99
http://www.collectors-society.com/join/
But it will give you 5 free gradings---well you only have these 4 so find one more and send them off---you will still need to pay shipping both ways and that will cost around $20 more than likely.

Speedy

 

The mint mark on the 1916-D looks like it could be the real thing to me. You can hardly lose by sending it in for slabbing.

You can compare it yourself to examples slabbed and sold at Heritage Auctions, at:

http://coins.heritageauctions.com/common/auction/pricesrealized.php?src=&ID=&optGlobalSearch=&cboDenomination=Mercury+Dimes%3A&cboSaleNo=&txtSearch=1916-D&cmdSearch=Search+Auction+Archives&chkFullSearch=1&hdnSearch=True&txtLotNo=&stage=1

You can use this search page at HA to look at the other mercs as well, it will give you an idea of the price range they are going for.

 

I'll get a closer scan of the 1916D when I go to lunch here in a few hours. Thanks for all of your assessment. Our original plan was to sell this collection, and we still haven't ruled it out completely. My daughter, who's 10, just recently started collecting coins she finds interesting, along with state quarters. She's very excited over some of the coins in this collection. What's funny is that she doesn't care for the mercury dimes at all. She's in love with the walking liberty half dollars, though, and the buffalo nickels and indian head pennies. We're probably going to give those to her to add to her budding collection, along with most of the other coins aside from the liberty dimes.

 

Here are the best images I could get on my scanner of the D on the 1916D.

 

That's a very nice set. It's a shame your daughter isn't taken with the beauty of the dimes. I've been smitten by them my entire life. It took me nearly 25 years to assemble that same set of Mercury dimes, one piece at a time. I wonder if you took the time with her to research each one as to its condition, rarity, and value, whether that might change her mind about them. Still, if the plan is to eventually sell them, you would benefit greatly from the same research as has already been noted above by others. Really get to know them. It can only help.

The close up images of the 16-D mintmark don't show any obvious tampering, but it's still going to have to be submited to a grading service for absolute certainty, along with the other key coins of the set. Its definitely worth the money for the peace of mind.

Good luck and enjoy!!

Rick L.

 

Fullbands:
Welcome, and nice comments.
:thumb:

 

From what I can see it looks alright---I'll post a photo of a real MM and then maybe you can tell yourself...
I'll go find a photo and post it later..

Speedy

 

I disagree with spending the money on grading and slabbing. Myself I just don't like slabs. I prefer an Album like the Dansco or Whitman where you can see and appreciate the entire collection together, front and back. Once you start with the slabs you end up putting a piece of paper in the album saying go somewhere else for the rest of the coins. I like Whitman only because of the blue color. Silver coins stand out better than Dansco Brown.
Now here is something else. What condition is the 25D, 25S, 26S? Is there a slot for the 45 Micro S in that album? If old probably not but the 45 may be a Micro S. Some of these are also way up there in value depending the condition. Now here is a real sleeper. The 31D has the 4th lowest mintage of the Mercs and for now is super undervalued again, pending condition.
I would suggest you get interested in the hobby, keep the album intact as is and maybe even try to improve upon it for the future new coin collectors in your family.
But then again the best thing would be to just send it to me as a belated Christmas present:hug: :hug:

 

There is no slot for the 45 micro S, just 45S. How would I determine if it's a micro S?

The album it's in is a blue Whitman album, front and back visible, with little clear plastic sliders over the front and back of each set of two rows, I'm assuming to protect them. I think they look nice in the album and was just discussing with my boyfriend what it would do to the value of the set to slab four of them separately.

As for the quality of the other years you asked about:

25D is in about the same condition as the 42 2 over 1, except it's lacking a little of the luster the 42 2 over 1 has. The details still visible and the wear pattern is similar though.

25S has more detail in the wing, detail still visible on the pillar on the rear, and a clearly visible rim all around.

26S is again about the same condition as the 42 2 over 1, but it still retains some of it's luster, unlike the 25D

31D has slightly less detail in the headwing than the 42 2 over 1, but still retains a pretty luster.

Honestly I'm really starting to have fun with this, even if it's not technically my collection

I might look into collecting a bit myself!

My daughter has become very excited and we ordered her some Whitman folders to help her boost her budding collection.

 

It will make the set more marketable--and more than likely you will be able to get more $$ for it.
I for one I would buy a 1916-D or a 1942/1 dime raw---I would just pass on by even if the price seemed low---lately I bought a 1916-D dime graded AG...the price was right at $500---your's is better and would fetch a much higher price if graded.

Speedy

 

My Merc set is in the very same Whitman album, minus the slabbed (certified) keys. The empty holes don't bother me greatly. Its not like I pull the album out to just show everybody anyway. Mine does, however, have the hole for a Micro-S. This is a coin minted in San Francisco that bears a much smaller S mintmark than other 1945-S dimes. Side by side the difference is easily noticeable without magnification. They are not terribly hard to find, and aren't necessary for a complete set. Just nice to have as an addition.

Rick L.

 

My Merc set is in a Whitman Classic also which I too like because of the blue color with the silver coins. My 16-d is authenticated and slabbed by ANACS as ag-4 and the MM on mine appears to be exactly the same as yours looks. The 1916-d Merc is at the top of the list for being the most counterfeited U.S. coin, which is all the more reason to get it authenticated if you ever plan on selling it.

 

I found a PCGS authorized dealer near my house and am taking the mercury dime collection in today to be looked at. I'll let you all know how it goes. Obviously from my enthusiasm I've caught a bit of the collector bug myself. Now I'm pondering starting my own collection, along with the one my daughter's working on

Edit: I called off work sick to take these in to be looked at, and so I could browse their store...is that bad? *looks innocent*

 

Edit: I called off work sick to take these in to be looked at, and so I could browse their store...is that bad? *looks innocent*

Trouble ahead!
Looks like the bug that he has is the collecting bug!
Highly contagious, nearly always without cure, no known antidote, and permanently effects your psyche.
Sorry, but you are stricken!