Which dime is the Liberty Head dime?
Formally, the Liberty Head dime is the Barber dime, designed by Charles Barber and struck from 1892 to 1916, with Liberty in a cap facing right. In everyday speech, though, most people searching for a Liberty dime are holding a Mercury dime: the 1916 to 1945 design whose winged cap made Liberty look like the Roman god Mercury. Its official name is the Winged Liberty Head dime, so both answers are right.
Either way the silver math is identical. Barber dimes, Mercury dimes, and every Roosevelt dime dated 1964 or earlier are 90 percent silver with 0.0723 troy ounces of pure silver in each coin:
| Series | Years | Pure silver per coin | Silver value right now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barber (Liberty Head) dime | 1892 to 1916 | 0.0723 troy oz | — |
| Mercury (Winged Liberty Head) dime | 1916 to 1945 | 0.0723 troy oz | — |
| Roosevelt dime, 1964 and earlier | 1946 to 1964 | 0.0723 troy oz | — |
That live melt figure is the floor, never the ceiling. Common worn dates trade close to it; the coins below trade far above it, which is why the collector check comes before any silver offer.
How much does a US dime weigh? Silver content, size and dimensions of a miniature coin
A silver dime, Barber, Mercury, or pre-1965 Roosevelt, weighs 2.5 grams. The clad dime in your change today weighs 2.268 grams. Mercury dime dimensions are the same as every dime since the 1830s: 17.9 millimeters across, which makes the dime the smallest, most miniature coin the United States circulates. Small coin, real silver, which is why a sandwich bag of them adds up fast on the scale.
Which president is on the dime today?
Franklin D. Roosevelt has been on the US dime since 1946, the year after his death, chosen for his connection to the March of Dimes. Liberty, not a president, appears on every Barber and Mercury dime, so a dime with a face other than FDR is automatically pre-1946 and automatically silver.
Mercury and Roosevelt dime errors, and the dime without ridges
The 1942/1 overdate is the famous Mercury error, and Roosevelt dimes have their own catalog: clipped planchets, off-center strikes, and dimes struck without the reeded edge. On that last one, honesty first: a dime without ridges on its edge is usually just worn or filed, worth face or melt, but a genuine broadstruck dime that never received its collar is a real error worth a look. The error coins guide covers how we tell the difference, free, in front of you.
Which Liberty and Mercury dimes are worth serious money?
Three names carry most of the legend. The 1894-S Barber dime, with only 24 struck in San Francisco, is one of the most famous rarities in American coinage; finding one in a family collection is a life-changing event. The 1916-D is the key to the Mercury series, struck in Denver in the design's first year in a tiny quantity, and it is heavily counterfeited with added mint marks. The 1942/1 overdate, where a 2 was punched over a 1 at Philadelphia and Denver, is the series' famous error and valuable even well worn.
Beyond the keys, Mercury dimes earn a premium for Full Bands: fully separated horizontal bands on the fasces on the reverse, a strike-quality detail that can multiply the value of an otherwise ordinary date. And one warning covers every coin on this page: do not clean them. A wiped or polished surface permanently erases collector value that no amount of shine brings back, so bring them exactly as found.
Estimate the silver floor on your whole batch with the silver coin melt calculator, and read what dimes and quarters are made of for the full composition story.
How does selling silver dimes work in New Jersey?
Bring the dimes in as they are, sorted or not. The counter checks dates and mint marks first, pulls anything with collector value above its silver, then weighs the rest and prices it from the same live silver feed this page shows. You watch the whole process, hear one number for the collector pieces and one for the bulk silver, and take same-day cash if the number works. There is never a fee to look, and we buy outright.
All 8 Central New Jersey stores buy silver dimes the same way: Aberdeen, Brick, East Brunswick, Farmingdale, Manalapan, Middlesex, Millstone, and New Brunswick. Questions before you drive? Call (732) 483-4145.
One Mercury dime or a coffee can of them: collector value checked first, the rest priced from the live silver market, paid the same day.
Find your nearest of our 8 storesLiberty Head dime FAQs
Is a Liberty Head dime the same as a Mercury dime?
Officially the Liberty Head dime is the Barber dime of 1892 to 1916, but the Mercury dime of 1916 to 1945 is formally the Winged Liberty Head dime, and it is what most people mean. Both are 90 percent silver and both are welcome at the counter.
How much silver is in a Mercury dime?
Each Mercury dime contains 0.0723 troy ounces of pure silver, the same as Barber dimes and Roosevelt dimes dated 1964 or earlier. Multiply that by the live silver price on this page for the melt floor of any single dime.
What are the key dates for Barber and Mercury dimes?
The 1894-S Barber is a legendary rarity with only 24 struck. For Mercury dimes, the 1916-D is the key date and the 1942/1 overdate is the famous error. Mercury dimes with Full Bands on the reverse also bring strong premiums.
Should I clean my old dimes before selling them?
No. Cleaning permanently damages the surface and destroys collector value that never comes back. Bring them exactly as you found them; original surfaces, even dark ones, are worth more than polished ones.