1916 & 1945 - First & Last Mercury Silver Dimes

The Mercury Silver Dime is one of America s most beloved classic coins. It was first minted in 1916 and was last struck in 1945 (it was replaced with the Roosevelt Silver Dime in 1946), so it was Americas Dime from World War I through World War historic collection includes the first-year 1916 and final-year 1945 coins. "First" and Last coins like this are always among the most coveted by collectors, and these classic silver coins are among the most sought-after by collectors everywhere. These coins were struck by the U.S. Mint over 70 years ago. They are in beautiful hand-selected circulated condition. Each coin is a treasured piece of American history. The Mercury Silver Dime was designed by famed sculptor Adolph A. Weinman. The obverse features a portrait of Liberty in a winged cap to represent freedom of thought. However, people thought the portrait showed Mercury, the ancient messenger of the gods who wore wings on his sandals. As a result, the coin is became known mistakenly! as the Mercury Dime. The reverse shows a Roman fasces (an ax within a group of rods) and an olive branch to symbolize the power of the government to enforce security as well as to pursue peace. This was an important statement when the first coin was made in 1916. The U.S. was not yet involved in World War I, but it was on the verge of entering the war to help the cause of freedom around the world. It was also a powerful symbol when the last coin was made in 1945 the year World War II ended with the triumph of freedom. All Mercury Silver Dimes were struck in the beauty of .900 pure silver. However, the high silver content has made the coins the targets of massive melting's over the last 70 years since the last coin was struck. This was especially true in 1979-1980 when the price of silver bullion shot up to over $50 an ounce. Millions of Mercury Silver Dimes and other silver coins were ruthlessly melted for the precious silver. As a result, just a tiny fraction remain for todays collectors. Few people today have seen even a single Mercury Silver Dime, and this set of the first and last is a collectors dream. The collection is housed in a custom display and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.