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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;bradarv90, post: 1228382, member: 30131&quot;]In 1892, the United States Treasury held a competition to redesign the dime. Very few designs were submitted and even less were considered to be appealing. Charles E. Barber’s Barber dime won. His coin didn’t win because people loved the look, but because it was the best of the worst designs.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Twenty-four years later, the Treasury once again held the competition. Barber, having made the last dime, submitted multiple designs. None of these designs won. Instead, Adolph Weinman, a prominent sculptor in America, won with his Winged Liberty Head or, more commonly called, Mercury dime. Also, Weinman designed the American Eagle and the Walking Liberty half dollar. When designing his dime, Weinman received help with engraving from George Morgan, the designer of the Morgan silver dollar.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; On the obverse is a depiction of, who is believed to be, Elsie Kachel Stevens, wife of the well-known poet Wallace Stevens. In 1913, Weinman created a bust of Elsie, where she wore a cap, over her hair, with wings on it. These wings symbolized the liberty of thought.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; On the reverse is a Roman fasces wrapped with olive branches. The fasces symbolizes authority and readiness for battle. While, the olive branches mean peacefulness, but when put together, they mean unity even in chaotic times. In 1926, <u>The Numismatist</u> had an article in it that quoted the <u>Chicago Evening Post</u>. The article was about a new idea that stated the Mercury dime had links to Mussolini. Mussolini picked the fasces to be a symbol of fascism, so therefore the Mercury dime must have been supporting him.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; When the dime first came out, many people thought the initials (A.W.) were an error and in consequence took most all of the coins out circulation. The Mercury dime is considered to be a flawless coin in that the public has always loved the look and it never received any changes to the design. From 1936 to 1942, mints created proof Mercury dimes. These proofs became very popular, very fast. Unfortunately as a result of World War II, proofs were no longer made. Proofs started to be made again in the 1950’s.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; On April 12, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died. Shortly thereafter, John R. Sinnock’s Roosevelt dime was released to the public.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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