The 1938 S Mercury Dime

Minted in San Francisco in 1938, the 1938 S Mercury Dime is a wonderful find for any collector. When a new 90% silver dime was introduced in 1916, the public mistook the obverse design for a representation of the male god Mercury, messenger to the Roman gods. The name "Mercury Dime" took, although the coin actually depicts Liberty wearing a winged cap to signify freedom of thought. The series is known as either the Winged Liberty Head or "Mercury" dime. With either name, the coin is beautiful, artistic, and in great demand among collectors.

History of the Mercury Head Dime

The dime is the United States’ ten-cent coin. The ten-cent coin is the smallest, thinnest coin we use today. It is also the first made by the United States Mint, if you count borrowed coin-making machines. President Washington ordered dimes made before the first Mint building was built. The first time a dime was minted in a United States Mint building was in 1796. The name of the coin sounded the same as it does today, but the spelling was “disme” because the word is based on the Latin word “decimus,” meaning “one tenth.” The French used the word “disme” when they came up with the idea of money divided into ten parts in the 1500s. 

1938 S Mercury Dime Value

The 1938 S Mercury Dime is a great coin to add to your collection. Like many older coins, the value is tied to the condition of the coin. On a Mercury Dime, you should look for a clear image of Liberty in a winged cap, with “LIBERTY,” and “In God We Trust” clearly visible on the obverse. The reverse will feature a fasces with an olive branch, as well as the denomination mark. Highly circulated coins are worth around two dollars and twenty-five cents, but a mint, uncirculated coin is worth twelve dollars!

 

Type of coin: Dime

Year: 1938

Mint Mark: San Francisco

Total mintage: 8,090,000

Metal content: 90% Silver, 10% Copper

Face value: Ten Cents

Weight: 2.5 grams

Edge: Reeded

Designer: Adolph Weinman

Diameter: 17.91 millimeters