1916 Mercury Dime Value Checker: Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

1916 Mercury Dime value can climb from $0.10 face value all the way to $207,000 — and condition is what makes all the difference. That record was set by a Grade 67 FB example sold through Heritage Auctions in August 2010. Upload a photo of yours below to get a quick value range, then scroll down to check recent eBay sales and see what buyers are actually spending today.

 

1916 Mercury Dime Value By Variety

Here’s what all three 1916 Mercury Dime mint marks are worth across every major grade, including Full Bands strikes.

Also Read: Top 70+ Most Valuable Mercury Dimes Worth Money (Chart By Year)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1916 Mercury Dime Worth Money

The 1916-D owns this list. The top slot belongs to an MS67FB that brought $207,000 — a toned gem that’s basically the holy grail of the series. Drop down one grade point to MS66FB and you’re at $88,125. The MS65FB hit $66,000. Each grade step is a huge jump.

The Full Bands premium here is wild. A 1916-D in MS64FB sold for $33,600, while a non-FB MS65 brought $29,900. That’s a lower-grade coin beating a higher-grade one just because the bands are sharp. If you’re shopping for a 1916-D, FB status matters as much as the grade itself.

One non-Denver coin cracked the top ten: a 1916-S MS67FB at $23,000. High-grade FB pieces from San Francisco still pull serious money.

 

History of the 1916 Mercury Dime

By 1916, the old Barber Dime had hit its mandatory 25-year design limit. The door was open for something new, and Adolph Weinman walked through it with one of the most beautiful coins ever struck for circulation.

The timing gave the design extra weight. World War I was tearing through Europe, and the reverse imagery — a fasces wrapped in an olive branch — spoke directly to Americans thinking about both military strength and peace. That symbolism wasn’t lost on the public.

Here’s a fun detail: the coin was never officially called the “Mercury Dime.” The figure on the obverse is Liberty wearing a winged cap, but the resemblance to the Roman god Mercury was so strong that the nickname stuck from day one. The Mint never bothered correcting anyone.

Also Read: Mercury Dime Coin Value (1916-1945)

 

Is Your 1916 Mercury Dime Rare?

Use the Coin Identifier and Value App to check your 1916 Mercury Dime’s rarity score and see how it ranks across the entire Mercury Dime series.

 

Key Features of the 1916 Mercury Dime

This is year one. Weinman’s design was brand new in 1916, and the dies were fresh. That matters because first-year strikes often show the sharpest detail you’ll find in the entire series.

The Obverse of the 1916 Mercury Dime

Flip the coin to the face side and you’ll see Liberty facing left, wearing that famous winged Phrygian cap. That cap is why everyone calls it the “Mercury” Dime — the resemblance to the Roman god was just too strong.

“LIBERTY” arches along the upper rim, with “IN GOD WE TRUST” inscribed in smaller text to the lower left of the portrait. The date “1916” sits beneath Liberty’s neck truncation at the lower right. Weinman’s initials “AW” appear on the obverse, midway between the date and the letter Y in “LIBERTY”.

The Reverse of the 1916 Mercury Dime

Turn it over and you’ll see the fasces front and center — a bundle of rods bound with an axe, symbolizing unity and strength. An olive branch wraps around it for peace.

“E PLURIBUS UNUM” is placed to the right of the fasces. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” curves along the upper rim, and “ONE DIME” is inscribed along the bottom. On Denver and San Francisco strikes, the mint mark “D” or “S” appears at the lower left base of the fasces. That’s the spot you want to check first.

Other Features of the 1916 Mercury Dime

The 1916 Mercury Dime is a round coin with a reeded edge. It is composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, with an official weight of 2.50 grams and a diameter of 17.90 mm.

Also Read: Top 100 Rarest Dimes Worth Money (Most Expensive)

 

1916 Mercury Dime Mintage & Survival Data

Philadelphia cranked out 22,180,080 coins. San Francisco made 10,450,000. Denver? Just 264,000. That’s roughly one Denver dime for every 84 Philadelphia dimes.

Here’s the counterintuitive part: despite that tiny mintage, the 1916-D has about the same estimated survival count as the Philadelphia issue — around 10,000 coins each. The 1916-D’s survival rate is 3.7879%, while Philadelphia’s is just 0.0451%. Collectors recognized the Denver coin’s scarcity early and tucked them away.

San Francisco actually has the fewest survivors at roughly 6,000 coins, with a survival rate of 0.0574%. Those high-mintage Philly and San Francisco coins got spent, worn down, and lost. The scarce 1916-D got saved.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Roosevelt Dimes Worth Money List (Year Chart)

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1916 Mercury Dime Value

Three things drive your coin’s value: mint mark, grade, and Full Bands status. Check the reverse near the base of the fasces — Philadelphia coins have no mark, Denver has a “D,” and San Francisco has an “S.”

For condition, look at Liberty’s hair detail, the sharpness of the date, and whether “LIBERTY” is fully readable. The more detail that survives, the higher the grade. Then check those bands on the fasces — if you can see full, unbroken horizontal lines, you may have an FB coin worth a serious premium.

The Coin Identifier and Value App makes it easy to check your coin’s grade and value directly.

 

1916 Mercury Dime Value Guides

Three mints, three different coins. Knowing which one you have is step one.

• 1916 No Mint Mark Mercury Dime — struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this is the most commonly encountered 1916 issue.
• 1916-D Mercury Dime — produced at the Denver Mint, this is the key date of the entire Mercury Dime series and one of the most sought-after coins in American numismatics.
• 1916-S Mercury Dime — struck at the San Francisco Mint, this issue is a respectable find in higher grades.

All three share Weinman’s design, but rarity and demand are completely different for each. Let’s break them down.

 

1916 No Mint Mark Mercury Dime Value

Most collectors start here. The Philadelphia issue is the most common 1916 variety, but “common” is relative — it’s still a first-year coin over a century old. Even beat-up circulated pieces carry a collector premium you won’t find on later dates.

The top known grade is MS68 Full Bands. An MS68+FB example brought $20,400 at Stack’s Bowers in August 2020. That’s the ceiling. For most of you, the sweet spot is MS64 to MS67, where prices are more realistic but still reflect genuine scarcity.

Pay attention to Full Bands on this one. MS67FB examples have traded in the $900 to $1,680 range recently. I think that’s a solid value compared to what you’d pay for equivalent grades on flashier dates.

Take a look at the auction records below to see how this coin has performed across different grades and platforms.

The market activity chart gives you a sense of how collector interest in the 1916 No Mint Mark Mercury Dime has shifted over the past year.

 

1916-D Mercury Dime Value

How many coins can you name where a beat-up, heavily worn example still sells for $550–$850? The 1916-D is in that elite club alongside the 1909-S VDB cent and the 1932-D quarter. It’s rare at every grade level, which is unusual even among key dates.

The top of the market tells the story. A toned MS67FB brought $207,000 at Heritage in August 2010, then resold for $204,000 at Stack’s Bowers in March 2020. That kind of price stability over a decade tells you this is a true trophy coin with deep, lasting demand.

If you find one raw in a junk box — and people still do, rarely — get it authenticated immediately. The 1916-D is one of the most counterfeited U.S. coins out there. Fakers add a “D” to common Philadelphia dimes all the time.

Browse the auction records below for a closer look at what buyers have actually paid for the 1916-D.

The market activity chart below reflects how the 1916-D has been trading among collectors month by month.

 

1916-S Mercury Dime Value

A lot of collectors overlook the 1916-S, and I think that’s a mistake. It’s genuinely scarce in gem grades, and it’s priced at a fraction of the 1916-D. For the money, it might be the best value in the 1916 trio.

Cherrypickers take note: the 1916-S has a quirky strike pattern. Weakness tends to show up on the lower diagonal band rather than the center crossbands like other Mercury Dimes. A fully struck example with sharp bands is a real find and specialists know it.

The auction record sits at $23,000 for an MS67 sold at Heritage Auctions in August 2001. Below that top tier, you can still find nice Mint State examples without breaking the bank.

The auction records below document what this coin has brought across a range of grades and sale dates.

See how the 1916-S has been moving among collectors in the market activity chart below.

Also Read: 16 Rare Dime Errors List with Pictures (By Year)

 

Rare 1916 Mercury Dime Error List

The 1916 Mercury Dime is famous for its key date status, but genuine mint errors do exist. They’re scarce and they attract a completely different crowd of collectors. Here’s what to watch for.

1. Broadstrike Error

A broadstrike happens when the retaining collar — the ring that keeps the planchet contained during striking — doesn’t engage. Without that collar, the metal spreads outward. You get a coin that’s wider and flatter than normal, with a smooth edge instead of reeding.

On 1916 Mercury Dimes, broadstrikes are genuinely rare. One documented 1916-S example graded MS61 shows significant planchet spread, almost approaching off-center territory. The amount of spread and whether the full design is visible both affect value.

2. Off-Center Strike

When the planchet isn’t seated properly between the dies, you get an off-center strike. Part of the design is missing, and a blank crescent of unstruck metal shows along one edge.

The key question with any off-center error: can you read the date? For a date like 1916, a visible date on an off-center strike makes a huge difference. That’s what separates a curiosity from a serious auction lot.

3. Die Cap/Brockage

A die cap forms when a struck coin sticks to one of the dies instead of ejecting. As more planchets feed through, the stuck coin warps into a bottle-cap shape and starts leaving mirror-image impressions — brockages — on the coins below it.

These are among the rarest error types in the entire Mercury Dime series. Confirmed 1916 examples are exceptionally scarce. Completeness of the cap shape and clarity of any brockage impression drive the value.

 

Where to Sell Your 1916 Mercury Dime?

Whether you’re looking to sell a circulated 1916 No Mint Mark Mercury Dime or a prized 1916-D, finding the right platform makes all the difference. We’ve put together a complete guide on the best places to sell your coins online, including detailed introductions, pros, and cons for each.

Check out now: Best Places To Sell Coins Online (Pros & Cons)

 

1916 Mercury Dime Market Trend

*Market Trend Chart showing the number of people paying attention to this coin.

 

FAQ about the 1916 Mercury Dime

1. What makes the 1916 Mercury Dime so special compared to other years?

It’s the first year of the series, and it produced the 1916-D — one of the rarest regular-issue U.S. coins of the 20th century. That combination of first-year status and a legendary key date makes 1916 the most important year in the Mercury Dime run.

2. How much is a 1916 Mercury Dime worth?

It depends on the mint mark, grade, and Full Bands status. A 1916 No Mint Mark in Good condition starts around $7.80. A 1916-D in the same grade runs about $1,448. At the top, a 1916-D MS67FB has sold for $207,000.

3. How do I know if my 1916 Mercury Dime is a 1916-D?

Flip the coin over and look near the base of the fasces for a small “D.” Be careful — the 1916-D is one of the most counterfeited U.S. coins. Fakers typically add a “D” to a common Philadelphia dime. If you think you have one, get it professionally authenticated before buying or selling.

4. What does “Full Bands” mean on a 1916 Mercury Dime?

Full Bands (FB) means the horizontal bands wrapped around the fasces on the reverse are completely separated and distinct. It’s a strike quality indicator. The premium is real — a 1916-D MS64FB at $33,600 can outperform a non-FB MS65 at $29,900.

5. Why did the 1916-D Mercury Dime have such a low mintage?

The best theory is that Denver halted dime production early to focus on quarters. Only 264,000 were struck before the plug was pulled. That abrupt stop created the key date status the 1916-D holds today.

6. Is a worn 1916-D Mercury Dime still worth buying?

Absolutely. Even heavily circulated examples sell for hundreds of dollars. The 1916-D is one of those rare coins where grade is almost secondary to just owning one. Collectors at every budget level chase this date.

7. How can I tell the difference between the 1916 No Mint Mark and 1916-S Mercury Dime?

Check the reverse at the lower left base of the fasces. San Francisco coins have a small “S” there. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. Both are far more common than the 1916-D, but the 1916-S gets noticeably scarcer in upper Mint State grades.

8. Did the 1916 Mercury Dime replace the Barber Dime?

Yes. The Barber Dime had been in production long enough to be legally replaced, and both designs actually circulated side by side during 1916. That makes it a unique transitional year in U.S. dime history.

9. Should I clean my 1916 Mercury Dime before selling it?

Never. Cleaning almost always hurts value. Grading services can spot it, and a cleaned coin gets a “details” grade instead of a straight numerical grade. That kills market appeal. Handle by the edges only and store in a stable environment.

10. Is the 1916 Mercury Dime a good coin for beginning collectors?

The 1916 No Mint Mark is a great starting point — circulated examples run under $15. The 1916-S is a solid step up. For the 1916-D, newer collectors should stick to slabbed, certified examples to avoid counterfeits.