The Mercury dime is the series Jacob collects and deals in, but the library does not yet teach a complete wear-point sequence. The current manuscript gives only the starting clues: the bands on the reverse fasces and Liberty’s hair details.
Ordered photo check
- Read Liberty’s hair details first, looking for broad smooth wear rather than isolated contact marks.
- Check the bands on the reverse fasces for remaining definition.
- Look for luster breaks on matching high points.
- Use protected areas near lettering and recessed design as a surface-control comparison.
- Separate weak strike from wear only when the luster and matching high points support the call.
Series facts
- Mercury dimes were struck from 1916–1945 and are 90% silver.
- The published specification is 2.5 g and 17.9 mm; the source workflow is Spotting Fakes chapter 2.
- As recorded on September 11, 2026, the 77-coin set had eight open slots: 1916-D, 1919-D, 1919-S, 1923-D, 1924-S, 1930-D, 1934-D, and 1936-S. Verify the tracker before repeating that list later.
- The operating rule for the 1916-D is certified-only; never buy one raw. The series is a heavy counterfeiting target, and no photograph can authenticate the coin.