1929 Dime Value (2026 Guide): Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

The 1929 Mercury Dime was struck at three mints — Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco — in a year that saw more than 35 million Mercury dimes produced, making 1929 issues generally accessible for collectors today. That said, condition drives everything when it comes to 1929 Dime value.

A circulated Philadelphia issue starts at around $7.00 in Fine grade, while the same coin with Full Bands in AU climbs to $18.08. The San Francisco mint’s FB version tells a sharper story: an MS example reaches $401.67 — over 57 times its Fine price.

Two factors shape what you’ll pay: which mint produced the coin, and how well it has survived the past nine-plus decades. Neither is complicated once you know what to look for — and that’s exactly what this article walks you through.

 

1929 Dime Value By Variety

Mint location matters more than most collectors expect. A 1929 dime from Philadelphia, Denver, or San Francisco may look nearly identical in hand, but each carries its own supply history and collector demand — and that gap becomes especially visible once you factor in Full Bands designation.

If you know the grade of your coin, you can find the exact price below in the Value Guides section.

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

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1929 Dime Worth Money

When it comes to the top realized prices for 1929 Mercury Dimes, the San Francisco and Denver issues dominate. The 1929-S FB 68 holds the highest recorded sale at $33,600 — a figure that reflects just how rarely a coin of that quality survives.

Drop one grade point, and prices shift noticeably. The 1929-S FB 67 recorded $15,600, while Philadelphia’s MS67 FB came in at $4,560 for the same grade tier. Mint source clearly plays a role here, not just condition.

Full Bands certification adds another layer. For the same date and grade, an FB-designated coin consistently outperforms its non-FB counterpart — the 1929-D comparison alone makes that plain, with the FB 68 reaching $29,900 against the non-FB MS68 at $8,913.

Across all three mints, what stands out is how much each grade step matters at the top end. The spread between mid-range and gem-quality examples is rarely small.

 

History Of The 1929 Dime

The Mercury Dime was designed by Adolph Weinman and struck by the United States Mint from 1916 to 1945. The obverse depicted Liberty wearing a winged cap, a detail that reminded many of the Roman god Mercury — and the nickname held for the rest of the series.

By 1929, the design had been in circulation for over a decade and was a routine part of everyday commerce across the country.

The last year of the 1920s saw a large output of Mercury dimes — something that wouldn’t be seen again until 1934. All three mints — Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco — contributed to that year’s output, a pattern that would not repeat in 1930, when Denver struck no dimes at all and total production across both remaining mints fell well below ten million.

The Wall Street Crash began in late October, with Black Thursday on the 24th and Black Tuesday on the 29th bringing steep losses and record trading volumes. The contraction in coinage followed quickly and durably.

Philadelphia’s 1930 output amounted to just 26% of its 1929 total, and the 1930-S mintage came in at less than 40% of the 1929-S figure. No dimes were struck anywhere in 1932 or 1933.

The 1929 issue, produced before any of that took hold, was the last year all three mints operated at a pre-Depression pace — a position that gives it a quiet but concrete place in the series.

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

 

Is Your 1929 Dime Rare?

Rarity ratings shift with grade and mint mark, and the difference between a common circulated example and a genuinely scarce one isn’t always obvious at first glance.

The CoinValueChecker App covers the full spectrum — take a photo of your coin and get a clear read on where it stands.

 

Key Features Of The 1929 Dime

The 1929 Mercury Dime carries the same design Adolph Weinman introduced in 1916 — one that has remained among the most admired in American coinage. Both sides reward close attention, and a few physical details are worth noting when examining any example.

The Obverse Of The 1929 Dime

The obverse depicts a young Liberty facing left, wearing a winged Phrygian cap. Weinman intended the wings to represent “liberty of thought” — a detail central to his vision for the design.

The model is widely believed to have been Elsie Stevens, wife of lawyer and poet Wallace Stevens, who was a tenant in an apartment building owned by Weinman. Weinman never publicly confirmed this, and no one formally claimed to have been the model during his lifetime.

“LIBERTY” is widely spaced along the top rim. “IN GOD WE TRUST” appears at the lower left, and the date sits beneath Liberty’s neck truncation at the lower right. Weinman’s monogram “AW” appears on the obverse, midway between the date and the letter Y in “LIBERTY”.

The Reverse Of The 1929 Dime

Weinman explained his reverse intent directly: “I have selected the motive of the fasces and olive branch to symbolize the strength which lies in unity, while the battle-ax stands for preparedness to defend the Union. The branch of olive is symbolical of our love of peace”.

The reverse elements and their placement:

• Fasces (center) — a bundle of rods with an axe, a symbol of the Roman Republic representing the power of unity and law
• Bands — a set of bands surrounds the fasces at the top, middle, and bottom of the bundle; the central pair is a high point on the coin’s design and the basis for the Full Bands designation
• Olive branch (encircling the fasces) — symbolizing peace
• Mint mark — “D” for Denver and “S” for San Francisco, located on the reverse near the rim; Philadelphia coins carry no mint mark
• Inscriptions — “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”, “ONE DIME”, and “E PLURIBUS UNUM”

Other Features Of The 1929 Dime

The 1929 Mercury Dime is composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, with a total weight of 2.5 grams and a silver content of 0.07234 troy ounces. The diameter is 17.9 mm, and the edge is reeded.

The lettering on the reverse is in Roman style and was kept as discreet as possible — a deliberate design choice that keeps the symbolic imagery at the center of the composition rather than competing with it.

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

 

1929 Dime Mintage & Survival Data

Philadelphia accounted for the majority of 1929 dimes, with a mintage of 25,970,000 — more than double Denver and San Francisco’s combined total. Both branch mints came in well under 5.1 million, with San Francisco’s 4,730,000 the lowest of the three.

Despite that gap in mintage, the survival figures are closer than expected. Philadelphia and Denver each show an estimated 10,000 surviving examples, while San Francisco sits at around 6,000.

The smaller mintage at Denver may have prompted collectors to set coins aside when they were first released, which would help account for its survival rate of 0.1986% — noticeably higher than Philadelphia’s 0.0385%.

San Francisco, despite having the fewest coins struck, also has the fewest survivors. Its survival rate of 0.1268% falls between the other two, but its lower absolute survival number makes high-grade examples harder to find in practice.

Across all three mints, the portion of coins that have lasted nearly a century remains very small. Coins in MS65 and above are scarce for all mint marks, with San Francisco issues being the rarest at the top grades.

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

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1929 Dime Value

Three things consistently shape what a 1929 Mercury Dime is worth: the date and mint mark, which tell you how many were struck; the grade, which reflects how well the coin has held up; and luster, which shows whether it still carries its original mint surface. On a coin nearly a century old, each of those factors can push the value in very different directions.

Cleaning is one of the most common issues to watch for — it strips away the natural surface and results in what graders call “improper cleaning”, which significantly reduces a coin’s value even if it looks bright at first glance.

If you want a quick read on where your specific coin stands, the CoinValueChecker App lets you photograph your coin directly and get a value estimate on the spot — no manual lookups, no cross-referencing multiple sources.

 

1929 Dime Value Guides

The 1929 Mercury Dime was struck at three mints, and each issue has carved out a distinct place in the collector market. Philadelphia’s large mintage makes it the most accessible entry point, while Denver and San Francisco command more attention at mid and high grades.

Full Bands designation adds another layer to all three — and the gap it creates in value is hard to ignore.

Each variety is covered separately below:

• 1929 No Mint Mark Dime — common in circulated grades and readily available through MS66, but tough in MS67 and above
• 1929-D Dime — the most valuable of the three in extremely fine and about uncirculated conditions, where it is comparatively scarce
• 1929-S Dime — a tad more valuable than Denver in mint state; San Francisco examples are the rarest at the top grades

What each variety is actually worth depends on the specific grade and whether Full Bands applies. The sections below cover all three in detail, with current value ranges for each grade tier.

 

1929 No Mint Mark Dime Value

The 1929 Philadelphia issue is common in circulated grades and readily available in uncirculated grades through MS66. Full Bands specimens are relatively plentiful at least through MS65, thanks to the majority of these coins being well struck.

That accessibility changes sharply at the top end. A standard MS67 example is valued at $650, while an FB-designated coin at the same grade reaches $1,450 — more than double.

All examples of the 1929 Mercury dime are tough in MS67 or higher grades, and the population drops off considerably once a coin crosses that threshold.

Original mint luster and the absence of significant contact marks greatly enhance the coin’s desirability and value. Coins with attractive, natural toning often command premiums among collectors, and strike quality is also important, with well-struck examples fetching higher prices.

The table below lists all confirmed historical auction results for this issue.

Rare 1929 Dime Error List

The 1929 Mercury dime was struck across all three operating mints — Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. High-volume production is precisely where minting errors thrive, slipping past quality control in small enough numbers to reward patient hunters.

The six errors below represent the most significant and collectible anomalies known on 1929 Mercury dimes.

1. 1929-S DDO FS-101 Error

The DDO is a die-manufacturing error, not a striking error. It occurs during hubbing: if the die shifts slightly between impressions, a secondary image is locked into the die itself, and every coin struck thereafter carries the same doubling — a raised, three-dimensional secondary impression visible on letter serifs and date digits.

This distinguishes a true DDO from flat, shelf-like machine doubling, which carries no premium.

For the 1929 series, the 1929-S DDO FS-101 is the single documented and PCGS-attributed variety, covering both the standard MS and the Full Bands (FB) designation. PCGS price data reflects real collector demand: a 1929-S DDO MS65 is valued at $400, while an FB65 reaches $750.

Examine suspected specimens at 10× magnification, focusing on the date and obverse legend. Attribution should always be confirmed against the Cherrypickers’ Guide FS-101 listing before any value claim is made.

2. 1929 Broadstruck Error

A broadstruck coin results when a planchet is struck outside the retaining collar — the steel ring that imparts the reeded edge and constrains metal flow.

Without it, the metal expands freely, leaving a coin wider than the standard 17.9mm, with a smooth edge, flattened rim, and design detail thinning toward the periphery.

Both 1929-D and 1929-S broadstruck examples have been certified and appeared at auction. One key distinction: if any reeding survives on the edge, the coin is more accurately a partial collar strike. Post-mint damage can also mimic the spread profile.

Professional certification is strongly advised before assigning value. Confirmed broadstruck Mercury dimes are genuinely scarce, and high-grade examples with strong central detail attract consistent collector demand.

3. 1929 Die Crack Error

Think of a die crack as the die’s biography written in metal. Every strike adds microscopic stress; eventually a fracture forms, and from that moment every planchet carries the same raised line across its surface — an unintentional but permanent record of that die’s working life.

On 1929 Mercury dimes, cracks appear most often as fine raised lines crossing the obverse field or running through the reverse fasces. Severity matters enormously to collectors: a faint hairline earns modest interest, while a bold crack traversing much of the die face can transform an otherwise ordinary coin into a genuine centerpiece.

Under oblique lighting, a true die crack stands raised above the surface — the reliable separator from incuse lamination flaws or post-mint scratches.

Well-placed, dramatic examples on 1929 dimes offer an accessible entry point into error collecting, combining documented minting history with the coin’s inherent silver content.

4. 1929 Off-Center Strike Error

When a planchet fails to seat fully beneath the dies before the hammer descends, the strike lands partially off target — leaving one side with a crescent of smooth, unstruck silver and the other with a compressed, displaced design. The further off-center the strike, the more dramatic the visual impact.

For collectors, the sweet spot is 20% or greater displacement with the full date still readable. A legible date both confirms the coin’s identity and anchors its value.

Examine the unstruck area carefully: on a genuine off-center coin it retains the consistent luster of a fresh planchet, whereas post-mint damage produces irregular, uneven surfaces. Dramatic Mercury dime off-center strikes with visible dates have reached several hundred dollars at auction, with exceptional examples going higher.

5. 1929 Repunched Mintmark (RPM) Error

Before 1990, mintmarks were punched onto working dies by hand. A misaligned first blow followed by a corrective second at a slightly different angle left both impressions in the die — every coin from that die carries the ghost of the earlier punch alongside the primary mintmark.

On 1929-D and 1929-S dimes, the secondary impression typically appears as a faint notch or shadow offset north, south, or at a rotated angle from the primary. A true RPM shows a crisp, raised secondary image; die deterioration doubling is flat and carries no premium.

Value varies widely by visibility and grade. A 1944-S/S RPM graded MS67 FB realized $8,225 at Heritage Auctions, illustrating how sharply premiums climb with grade and boldness. A well-attributed 1929-S or 1929-D RPM in problem-free circulated condition is already a respectable find.

6. 1929 Clipped Planchet Error

When the punch cutting planchets from the silver strip overlaps a previously punched hole, the resulting blank is missing a curved section of its edge — a curved clip. A straight clip occurs when the punch reaches the end of the strip.

The Blakesley effect is the diagnostic key: the rim directly opposite the clip appears weak or missing due to reduced striking pressure at that point, separating genuine clips from post-mint edge damage. Value scales directly with clip size and design legibility. A larger clip can bring around $200, while a minor 5% clip may fetch only $5.

For Mercury dimes, dramatic examples with full date visibility and clear Blakesley effect push well beyond the average range. Professional certification is recommended before assigning meaningful value.

 

Where To Sell Your 1929 Dime?

Understanding the value of your 1929 Mercury Dime is only the first step; selecting the right marketplace with appropriate authentication standards, competitive commission structures, and access to serious early copper collectors determines your success in selling these historic error coins.

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

 

1929 Dime Market Trend

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

 

FAQ About The 1929 Dime

1. What is a 1929 Mercury dime worth in circulated condition?

Value starts at the coin’s silver content — 0.07234 troy ounces of 90% silver — which currently sets a floor around $6. Above that, collector grade takes over.

A Fine Philadelphia example is valued at approximately $7.00, while the same grade from Denver reaches $10.50 and San Francisco $8.83. Condition drives everything: even a modest jump from Fine to AU can more than double those figures depending on the mint.

2. Which 1929 dime is the most valuable?

At the top of the grading scale, the 1929-S holds the record for the entire 1929 series. The auction record of $33,600 was set by an MS68 FB example — a figure that reflects how rarely San Francisco coins survive in gem quality. The 1929-D FB MS68 follows closely, with a confirmed sale of $29,900 at Heritage Auctions in August 2010.

3. What does “Full Bands” (FB) mean, and why does it matter?

Full Bands refers to the central set of bands on the fasces reverse showing a complete split down the middle — an indication of a sharp, well-executed strike. Several early branch-mint issues, particularly from the teens and 1920s, were not struck very well and thus often do not show the full lines of the crossbands.

For 1929 dimes, the FB premium is substantial: a 1929-S MS65 is valued at $275 without FB, and $625 with it — more than double for the same numerical grade.

4. How do the three 1929 mints compare in terms of rarity?

Philadelphia struck the most coins and dominates circulated supply. Denver and San Francisco came in well under 5.1 million each, with San Francisco’s mintage the lowest of the three.

Despite that gap, survival estimates are closer than expected — Philadelphia and Denver each show around 10,000 surviving examples, while San Francisco sits near 6,000. San Francisco is the rarest at high grades, where strike quality was less consistent.

5. Is a 1929 dime rare?

In circulated grades, no. All three 1929 issues are accessible and relatively affordable — a Fine example from any mint starts under $11. Rarity emerges as grade climbs. The Philadelphia issue has been graded as high as MS68, but examples at that level are genuinely scarce.

The 1929-S tops out around MS68 in the standard strike, with an auction record of just $1,438 at that grade — reflecting how rarely such coins reach the market at all.

6. What is the only confirmed error variety attributed on 1929 Mercury dimes?

The 1929-S DDO FS-101 is the single documented and PCGS-attributed doubled die obverse variety for the 1929 series. The doubling is most visible on the date and obverse legend. Attribution must be confirmed against the Cherrypickers’ Guide FS-101 listing. An MS65 example is valued at $400; the FB65 reaches $750.

7. How do I find the mintmark on a 1929 Mercury dime?

The mintmark is on the reverse, not the obverse. It appears near the bottom rim, to the left of the fasces. Denver coins carry a “D” and San Francisco coins an “S.”

Philadelphia struck no mintmark at all throughout the Mercury series. A coin with no reverse mintmark is a Philadelphia issue by default — not a missing mintmark error.

8. Should I clean my 1929 Mercury dime?

No. Cleaning is one of the most damaging things a collector can do to a coin’s value. Even a bright, attractive-looking surface that has been polished or wiped will be identified by professional graders as “improperly cleaned” and assigned a details grade, significantly reducing its market value.

Original surfaces — including natural toning — are what collectors and grading services reward. Leave the coin as found and seek professional evaluation before any handling.

9. How does the 1929 dime fit historically within the Mercury series?

The 1929 issue was the last year all three mints operated at a pre-Depression production pace. The Wall Street Crash began in late October 1929, and the contraction in coinage followed quickly: most Mercury dime issues struck from 1916 through 1931 prove much scarcer than those made from 1934 onward, and none was issued in 1932 or 1933.

The 1929 coins entered circulation just as that era ended — a position that gives the date a quiet but concrete historical significance within the series.

10. Are 1929 Mercury dimes a good long-term collecting investment?

The 1929 series benefits from two independent value drivers. The 90% silver composition provides a value floor tied to the precious metals market, while historical significance and collector demand create appreciation potential beyond melt.

The strongest case sits at the upper grades. The 1929-D FB MS68 CAC realized $29,900, and the 1929-S FB MS68 holds the series record at $33,600 — figures that reflect how sharply premiums compound with each grade step. Problem-free FB survivors at MS65 and above offer both collector appeal and meaningful long-term liquidity.