A Mint-state 1919-D “Mercury” dime highlights the Long Beach Expo US Coins Signature Auction September 4-9 at the Long Beach (California) Convention Center.

The period from 1907 to 1921 launched a renaissance in US coin design. It saw new designs for all ten circulating coins, from 1¢ to $20 gold pieces. They included iconic coins like the Lincoln cent, Buffalo nickel, and Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin, all collector favorites.

While many of the coins saw design variations over their lives—the Lincoln cent is still in circulation today—the Winged Victory dime, a/k/a Mercury dime, stayed consistent through its replacement by the Roosevelt dime in 1946.

A Standout in the Crowd
Mercury dimes are not rare—2.7 billion were made over its 30-year life—but low-mintage coins in top condition are. The 1916 Denver dime leads the pack.

The new dime was released late in the year (October 30) and a large order for quarters had been placed at the Denver mint, sidelining dime production until the quarters were struck. As a result, only 264,000 were struck in Denver that year. While 10,000 are estimated to survive in all grades, only 10 are graded MS65 or higher, making it one of the rarest modern coins. That, combined with the exceptional quality of dimes struck in Denver that year, push the 1916-D dime to the head of the class. An MS65 coin brought 29,900 at auction in 2007 and even lower-graded coins can sell for thousands.

Lots of Lots at Long Beach
Over 3,000 rate coins will go on the Long Beach auction block and 400+ dealers will offer their wares on the convention floor. In addition to coins, the Long Beach Expo features currency, stamps, sports cards and other collectibles along with programming and events to appeal to both adults and children.

More information is available on the Long Beach Exposition website.

For more about the Winged Liberty/Mercury dime, see this article on the Great American Coin Company blog.