The 1916-D is the key date of the Mercury dime series. Only 264,000 were struck, and even a worn one is worth hundreds of dollars.
Every other Mercury dime shares the same 90% silver planchet — 0.0723 troy ounces of silver, worth $3.76 at melt on November 8, 2026 — so the dates below are where a $4 coin becomes a $40 coin, or a $400 one. Figures are hedged ranges for typical circulated examples; certified high-grade examples sell for far more. For the full series pricing picture, see our Mercury dime value guide. Key dates like these usually turn up one roll at a time, so before you search or price a roll, check how many dimes in a roll.
Mercury Dime Key Dates at a Glance
| Date | Mintage | Why it matters | Typical circulated value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1916-D | 264,000 | The key date — Denver’s first year, tiny mintage | About $700–$1,000+ in worn grades |
| 1921 | 1,230,000 | Semi-key; Depression-era low production year | About $40–$75 |
| 1921-D | 1,080,000 | Semi-key; pairs with the 1921 Philadelphia issue | About $50–$90 |
| 1927-D | 510,000 | Second-lowest regular mintage in the series | About $15–$35 |
| 1928-D | 520,000 | Low-mintage Denver issue, often overlooked | About $10–$25 |
| 1926-S | 970,000 | Scarce San Francisco issue | About $8–$18 |
| 1931-D | 1,260,000 | Last of the low-mintage early-1930s dates | About $10–$20 |
Silver melt context from Data by Bullion Price Check, data as of November 8, 2026 (silver spot $52.07 per troy ounce; one Mercury dime melts for $3.76). Melt is metal value only; key-date prices are collector values well above melt, and dealer prices exclude shipping and tax.
The 1916-D: Why 264,000 Coins Drive the Series
Denver struck Mercury dimes for the first time in 1916 and stopped almost immediately — the mint was busy with other denominations and only 264,000 dimes left the building before the year ended. Because the coin circulated normally, most survivors are heavily worn, and a clear-date Good example is already a several-hundred-dollar coin. It is also the most counterfeited Mercury dime: added mintmarks on genuine 1916 Philadelphia coins are common, so a raw 1916-D should be treated with the same suspicion as any big-money key date — compare it against our guide to Seated Liberty dime values for how the earlier silver dimes behave, and get a key date certified before paying key-date money.
The Varieties Worth More Than the Dates
Two Mercury dime varieties outrank most dates. The 1942/1 overdate — a 1941 die re-punched with 1942 — and its Denver twin, the 1942/1-D, are visible under a loupe where the 1 shows beneath the 2, and genuine examples start in the hundreds of dollars even worn. The 1945 Micro S, struck with a smaller San Francisco mintmark punch meant for the Philippines coinage, is a quieter premium coin that rewards anyone who checks mintmark size on a common date. Full Bands coins are the other multiplier: an uncirculated dime whose reverse fasces show fully split horizontal bands can be worth several times the same date without them, which is condition value, not date value.
Where Mercury Dimes Sit in the Dime Series
Mercury dimes (1916–1945) replaced the Barber dime and were replaced by the Roosevelt dime, keeping the same 17.91 mm, 90% silver format the Seated Liberty dime established. That continuity is why bulk silver is sold by face value across all four designs interchangeably — the key dates above are the coins to pull out of a bulk lot before it is priced as bulk.
Shop Mercury Dimes
Bulk silver is where key dates hide in the wild: our $1 Face Value 90% Silver Mercury Dimes – XF lot is sold as bullion, and the dates are random — checking them against the table above is exactly the habit this guide is for. For a larger silver denomination from the same era, the $1 Face Value 90% Silver Standing Liberty Quarters – Full Date lot applies the same date-checking logic to quarters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the rarest Mercury dime?
The 1916-D is the rarest regular-issue Mercury dime by mintage. Only 264,000 were struck at Denver, and worn examples are worth roughly $700–$1,000 or more — several hundred times the coin’s $3.76 silver melt value.
Which Mercury dimes are worth the most?
The 1916-D leads, followed by the 1942/1 and 1942/1-D overdates. The 1921 and 1921-D semi-keys are next, worth roughly $40–$90 in typical circulated condition, and low-mintage Denver issues like the 1927-D and 1928-D carry smaller premiums.
How much silver is in a Mercury dime?
A Mercury dime contains 0.0723 troy ounces of silver. It is 90% silver, weighs 2.5 grams in total, and melts for $3.76 at a $52.07 spot price (November 8, 2026, Bullion Price Check data).
Are 1940s Mercury dimes worth anything?
Most 1940s Mercury dimes are worth a small premium over melt in circulated grades. The exceptions are the 1942/1 and 1942/1-D overdates, the 1945 Micro S variety, and any uncirculated coin with Full Bands on the reverse.
How can I tell if a 1916-D Mercury dime is real?
Check the mintmark first: most fakes are genuine 1916 Philadelphia dimes with an added D. Compare the mintmark’s shape and position against a certified example, weigh the coin (2.5 grams), and have any example you are buying or selling certified — the date is too valuable to trade raw on trust.
Educational content only — not financial advice.