The U.S. Mint last month introduced its gold Mercury dime. This short article presents a video and high-resolution photos of the .9999 fine 24-karat gold coin that, for now, is no longer available. The collectible went on back order after about 20 minutes and became unavailable after 40.
The latest available sales figures for the 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin have its total at 118,741 coins, or 95% of the possible 125,000. The U.S. Mint has not yet announced when it will sell the remaining 6,259 coins.
This 10c gold piece is a 100th anniversary edition of sculptor Adolph A. Weinman’s Winged Liberty Head dime which was composed of 0.900 fine silver and minted for circulation beginning in 1916. Struck at the U.S. Mint in West Point, it’s the first of three 2016-dated gold coins that celebrate the centennial of iconic coin designs, with the other two featuring renditions of the 1916 Standing Liberty quarter and the 1916 Walking Liberty half-dollar.
Before getting to the photos, here is a short video of the gold Mercury dime:
Below are the photos. The first ones show the coin’s obverse or heads side.
The obverse (heads side) offers a portrait of Liberty facing left, wearing a winged cap, with the inscriptions LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, 2016 and the Weinman’s initials, AW. The winged cap started the “Mercury dime” nickname because many mistook Liberty for the Roman god Mercury.
Photo of an encapsulated gold Mercury dime (obverse)
Another photo of an encapsulated gold Mercury dime (obverse)
Another view of the obverse
One more view of the obvserse
Here are some photos of the coin’s reverse or tails side:
The reverse (tails side) shows a Roman fasces and an olive branch, symbolizing America’s military readiness and desire for peace. Inscriptions include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, AU 24K, 1/10 oz., ONE DIME, and W to denote its production at the West Point Mint.
Photo of an encapsulated gold Mercury dime (reverse)
Another photo of an encapsulated gold Mercury dime (reverse)
Another view of the reverse
One more view of the reverse
This photo shows the gold Mercury dime’s reeded edge and its raised rim:
A photo of the edge and rim of a 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin
Finally, these photos show the coin’s packaging box, custom display case, certificate of authenticity and specifications:
Each coin arrives encapsulated and hand packaged in a custom-designed, black–matte hardwood presentation caseOpened case of a 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold CoinThe packaging includes a Certificate of Authenticity with the back of it offering information about the coin and its specifications
Sales momentum picked up for U.S. Mint products during the Thanksgiving week, but overall volumes were not particularly strong aside from an atypical jump...
