Not really a good explanation as Mercury had wings on his feet, not his hat. Mercury is male while Liberty is female.
Not sure where you're looking, but I've almost always seen Mercury with the winged helmet. Yes, Mercury is male and Liberty is female, but classical depictions lean toward youth, and look androgynous to modern American eyes. Just ask the folks who wonder why the guy on the V-nickel is wearing a tiara.
Because pre-1964 the dime was 90% silver and the nickel was not? And they just didn't see the point in changing coin size afterward?
Both are winged. From: http://www.123rf.com/photo_14339947...mercury-made-by-the-german-sculptor-joha.html
It really depends on which culture you are looking at. In the Greek culture the god he had winged feet. When the Romans adopted the Greek Gods, Hermes, now Mercury, acquired the winged cap. Most people are more familiar with the Roman version and when they the winged head symbolizing freedom of thought, they connected it with the winged helmet of the Roman god.
Actually, altho some pictures show Mercury with a winged helmet, it is (and was) originally, by the Romans shown with sings on his feet, representing fleetness. The wings on the Phrygian cap was meant to represent fleetness of thought. Per Wikipedia (in this instance I do agree) : " it gained its common name as the obverse depiction of a young Liberty, identifiable by her winged Phrygian cap, was confused with the Roman god Mercury." The Mercury dime appellation was simply added to the descriptive because of the confusion/misidentification with the Roman god. As for the sex: Weinman is believed to have used Elsie Stevens, the wife of lawyer and poet Wallace Stevens, as a model
I found it interesting that my grandmother, who gave me several silver coins this weekend because she found out that I collected coins, referred to them as "winged liberty" dimes instead of mercury dimes. This is the first time I've actually heard someone call them winged liberty outside of coin forums and really inside coin forums. Just an interesting tidbit I thought I'd share lol
She definitely is. She doesn't really collect coins, so she must've just figured if one of the coins with a lady on it was liberty, this one probably is too. Still interesting to hear though.
