2016-W 10C Gold Mercury Dime 1/10oz Centennial NGC SP69 Early Releases

The United States Mint issued the 2016-W 1/10 oz. gold Mercury dimes to commemorate the Centennial of Adolph A. Weinman’s iconic 1916 Winged Liberty dime. This design is considered to be among the most beautiful U.S. coin designs. Only 124,885 of them were struck at the U.S. Mint in West Point, New York. This Early Releases specimen is graded SP69 by NGC and is housed in a special 100th anniversary holder. Collectors Universe prices this issue at $410.00 in SP69.

The coin was struck with 1/10 oz. of .9999 fine gold. The obverse presents Weinman’s design of a young Liberty, inspired in part by French coinage, with a winged Phrygian cap. The artist described the feathers on Liberty’s cap as symbolizing “Liberty of thought.” LIBERTY encircles the beautiful Liberty head design. The reverse presents an olive branch and a fasces, a bound bundle of wood including the blade of an axe emerging from it. The fasces are an Italian symbol with roots stretching back to ancient Roman times.

Weinman’s 1909 statue of Victory in Baltimore’s Union Soldiers and Sailors Monument has qualities that resemble his Mercury dime. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.