Mercury head dimes, as they are sometimes referred to by coin collectors, are eagerly sought after by many coin enthusiast because they represent genuine economic value and they also carry more than a little American history in their small size. Young and old collectors alike take a great deal of pride in their treasure of Mercury silver dimes. One of the many reasons why this coin is popular is because of its many unique aspects. While many coin collectors collect coins just for personal fulfillment, others do so for profits. If you are looking to start a coin collection, which can later be sold, the importance understanding the Mercury dime cannot be emphasized enough.

The Mercury dime design was created by Adolph A. Weinman. The coin was minted from 1916-1945. On one side is Liberty wearing the Phrygian cap, and on the other side are In God We Trust and Liberty and the date. The other side reveals the language United States of America, E Pluribus Unum and One Dime plus and ancient symbol of power and authority.

The metal composition of the Mercury dime is ninety percent silver and ten percent copper, which with the rising price of silver on the metals market today make this coin increasing valuable to the holder. Since no Mercury dimes were produced in 1922, 1932, or 1933, one that is not worn or badly damaged could be worth sixty cents to an interested coin collector. In some cases, when the coin is in perfect condition, the sale price could go as high as three hundred dollars. The goal is to locate a Mercury dime with just small traces of wear, or no wear at all.

In order to generate profits from collecting and selling a Mercury dime set, it is important to remember how coin collections make money. Once a valuable coin collection has been complied, many coin collectors choose to sell their collections to other like minded individuals. Generally speaking, these individuals, especially professional coin collecting dealers, hesitate to pay top dollar for less than acceptable. It is important to understand that the condition of the coin for sale will dictate the ultimate price for which the coin is sold. To increase your profits, as a coin collector, it is important to take proper care of your coins.

The Mercury dime is a wonderful coin all levels of coin collectors because there are a large number of them to choose from on the open coin market, and the grade of the available coins runs the gamut of condition and rarity. A complete Mercury dime set can be found for under $1500, but not all of the coins will be in mint condition. A nicer set of these coins more than $2000.00. Many coin collectors focus on all mints and years from 1934 to 1945 or 1941 to 1945. A set of Mercury dimes from 1941 is 1945 can be very attractive.

When shopping for Mercury dimes to incorporate into your collection, it is vital to examine the condition of the coin or coins in question. This is because condition and value work together to establish the ultimate desirability of any mercury dime. For example, a coin in poor condition is likely to decrease in value, especially when compared to those that are in perfect shape. This is important when making a coin purchase, as you will not want to pay full price for a damaged or distorted coin. Mercury dime collectors with an eye on trying to sell the dimes for profit need to keep expenses in mind. The less money spent on collecting Mercury dimes for a given collection, the larger the profits will be when these same dimes are offered for sale on the open coin market.