1926 Mercury Dime

For collectors, coins from the US Mint have a special appeal simply because they are often directly tied to the history of the United States itself. The Mercury Dime, which was first introduced in the early 1900s, is one of these coins that has become extremely popular in the eyes of collectors. Unlike coins from the 19^th century, these Dimes are much easier to find and much more affordable.

Of course, as far as collectors are concerned, the only pieces worth taking are those that have been well-preserved through the years. Unfortunately for most everyone, these coins were heavily circulated which means that they are often found in sub-par condition.

Grading the 1926 Mercury Dime

For coins like the 1926 Mercury Dime, which were produced many, many decades ago, the state of the condition means everything to a prospective collector. No one wants to add damaged, tarnished coins to their collection, so it makes sense that most every collector will closely examine the condition of a Mercury Dime before executing a purchase.

Normally, coins are sent away for grading in order to have their condition accurately judged, but not everyone has the available funds to send coins away for official grading, so we have provided specifications below to give you a better idea of what coins of a specific grade might look like.

Uncirculated: Coins that are graded to be Uncirculated are those that never spent any time exchanging hands or paying for goods. Instead, these coins were put into safekeeping almost immediately after they were minted. As a result of their being kept in a safe place, these coins have not suffered any of the damage typically associated with Mercury Dimes of this age.

Extremely Fine: In Extremely Fine condition, the Mercury Dime in question will have only spent a minimal amount of time in circulation. Though these coins definitely show some signs of wear, the wear is generally light and only visible under close inspection. All in all, Extremely Fine 1926 Mercury Dimes are in great condition.

Fine: Coins that receive this grade are those that spent a decent bit of time being circulated. Due to their being exchanged over a moderate period of time, these coins have suffered a bit of wear. The raised images, such as the pillar and the winged headdress of Lady Liberty are where you will often find the most damage.

Good: This is the grade given to coins that were circulated for exorbitant periods of time. After decades upon decades of exchanging hands, these coins have a lot of damage to show for it. Complete with chipping, scratching, and many other imperfections, these pieces really show their age.

Pricing the 1926 Mercury Dime

When it comes to giving coins like the 1926 Mercury Dime a price, there are but two things that you must take into consideration. First, you have to consider what type of coin it is. Because multiple types of Mercury Dimes were minted most years, this is the first factor affecting price. Secondly, the condition of the coin is everything. For collectors, a coin that is in excellent condition is one that they are willing to pay a high price for, sometimes drastically higher. The chart below will give you a good idea of what the typical asking prices are for graded 1926 Mercury Dimes.

Mercury Dimes

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1926 Mercury Dime	$3	$3.50	$7	$16
1926 Mercury Dime (D)	$3.25	$6	$28	$50
1926 Mercury Dime (S)	$13	$26	$250	$450
Source: Red Book