1924 Mercury Dime

For the first time since 1920, all three of the then-operating mints struck Mercury dimes in 1924. About 39 million Mercury dimes were made in 1924, with Philadelphia striking a large share of these pieces; as was common in the 1920s, the Denver and San Francisco mint struck much smaller shares, given lower populations in the West than along the East coast, which was especially true during the first half of the 20th century.

Here’s a breakdown of mintage figures for 1924 Mercury dimes:

• 1924, 24,010,000 minted; $3

• 1924-D, 6,810,000; $5

• 1924-S, 7,120,000; $5

*Values are for specimens in a grade of Good-4.

While values are pretty soft for 1924 Mercury dimes in the lower circulated grades, quite the opposite is true for pieces in the upper grades. A Philadelphia issue will set you back around $100 for an MS-63 specimen, and you could easily spend $500 each for the Denver and San Francisco issues in that same grade.

Before you go spending a pretty penny on some beautiful dimes, be sure to shop around and get the best you can find for your money. Not all uncirculated Mercury dimes were created – or remain – equal. Be sure any high-end Mercury dimes you buy exhibit good overall strike and color, and are generally pleasing to the eye. An ill-placed bag mark or two on your 1924 Mercury dime may have you wishing you spent a little more time looking for just the right piece.