Is there an unattributed mint mark on my 1916 Merc?

I posted a 1916 dime on the Follow the Lead Picture thread.

Then I got looking at that animation. Did PCGS, Heritage, and I all miss a mint mark on this coin? Or is this just pareidolia?

I bought it from Heritage Auctions (1916 10C MS65 Full Bands PCGS) about 4 years ago.


Their photo showed no sign of a mint mark.

But expand this one and take a look. The entire bottom part of the reverse is weakly struck, so both the lettering and the fasces fade out at the bottom. Could this weakness have hidden the mint mark? Do you see it flashing into view as the light plays across the mint mark area?


Here is a static image with the full resolution that CoinTalk supports. Please expand and take a look.



Perhaps I can build an animation of just part of the coin at full resolution, but I am in my chair with a cat sleeping on my lap, so my access to technology is temporarily limited.

 

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Well where I went to school that is an "S" and yes they missed it .however check out mint mark styles....that doesn't look like a 1916 S more like the 1917 S
As the 16 S is not As tall as the 17 S.
. 17 S 16 S

Which ia another reason I always check miht mark styles. That to my eye is the 17 - S mm which it may of been close to the end of the 1916 S run and a new mm style was used.
Another point of interest is mm placement.... not where the 16 S was placed...however look at the 17 S placement. as the 16 s was closer to the leaf..and the 17 S futher down the stem.

You may have a new discovery?

 

I too, see an S there.

 

Can you see the difference between the two? As well placement?

Look at the EPU the U has split serifs

 

I too see something that looks like an "S", however I also see an "L" just to it's left.


Or maybe that a little sitting baby to the left of the S .... and the planet Saturn to it's right ....

 

Ron can you get a close up of the mm?

 

Very interesting. I also see what you see. Hmm

 

Hate to rain on your parade, but the S mint mark on these is as tall or taller than the leaf next to it. What you're seeing is half that size.

 

Ron can probably get a better image, but blown up further it looks like this

 

I'm not a follower of this series and its differences, but I do see what you are seeing on the "L" and placement. It would be nice if it was an undiscovered variety and would also put a lid on those who say, "If it hasn't been found yet, it probably does not exist". I know this not to be true as I found 3 new 1998 P Lincoln cent doubled die varieties only a couple of years ago. And also, a 2006 I believe it was.

 

Come on, guys & gals. Compare the sizes and think how small a dime is. That punch would have to be less than half a millimeter tall. It's fun to think you've found something but you have to be realistic.

 

That is definitely an S in my book so I think everyone that looked at this coin missed it. That might be from the gold like toning in that area.

 

…it does look like an S there, but the size question, and the placement of it is problematical…maybe a micro-S?

But for a MS65 having this area with surface/mm issues is troublesome as well.
…imo…Spark

 

1916 was a crazy year for the mint. Lots of changes going on.

 

The 1919 mercury ddo was what a 100 years before it was discovered?

 

Just a thought. Maybe the die was punched with the S mint mark but filled in for use at a different mint?

 

Send it back to the TPG due to the mistake they made.

 

Maybe it’s a Micro S like the 1945-S.

Definitely needs to be looked at.

 

It's a blot, and yes, part of it is shaped like a tiny S -- but it's way too tiny to be a mint mark, and it's in the wrong place, and as far as I can tell it's only in the toning. If I'm right, it won't become any more distinct under oblique light (but by all means try that!), and a dip would probably erase it completely (but don't try that).