JarSort · Inherited coin values
1916-D Mercury dime value
The 1916-D Mercury dime is the key date of the Mercury series: only about 264,000 were minted at Denver in the first year, and a Good example starts around $1,000. A common-date Mercury dime melts for $3.89. The difference is one letter — the 'D' on the reverse — and that letter is the most faked mint mark in the series.
The three numbers that matter
Prices as of Oct 24, 2026 · Silver spot $53.80/ozt (Kitco) · Circulated, common date, problem-free, raw (uncertified) unless stated
The 1916-D is the famous key date of the Mercury dime series (about 264,000 minted). Most 1916 dimes are Philadelphia (no mint mark) and worth melt plus a small premium. The 'D' must be genuine — added mint marks are the most common fake in this series.
How to tell it
Read the date: 1916. Then flip the coin: the mint mark is on the reverse, at the lower left of the fasces (the bundle of rods). A 'D' there means Denver. No mint mark means Philadelphia — a common coin worth about $4. The 'D' on a genuine 1916-D is sharp and correctly positioned; an added 'D' looks pasted on under a loupe, and the metal around it is disturbed.
Why it is the key
The Mercury dime was new in 1916, and Denver struck only 264,000 of them — the lowest mintage in the series. Most went into circulation during the war years and wore down. Survivors in any grade are scarce, and in Mint State the 1916-D is a five-figure coin.
What to do with it
- Do not clean it.
- Get it certified (PCGS/NGC). An added mint mark is the single most common fake in Mercury dimes, and certification is the only reliable defence.
- Get two offers.
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