A 1943 Dime is a ten cent Mercury coin from the year 1943.
It is considered highly collectible if it does not show any wear and still appears lustrous. Collectors prefer collecting dimes from this year that are in mint condition or are “uncirculated.”
Uncirculated 1943 dimes are also valued depending on what mint site manufactured them. There are three minting sites, San Francisco, Denver, and Philadelphia that made Mercury dimes during 1943, with each having their own unique mintmark.
The value of a 1943 dime is conditional
Collectors generally grade 1943 dimes based on several parameters. Various amounts and stages of wear are separated and assigned a grade.
LCR Coin is offering this 1943-D 10C Mercury Dime Certified by PCGS as MS68.PCGS encapsulation guarantees the coins MS68 Condition. You may verify the coins certification, population, mintmark and other important details by clicking the View PCGS Certificate button above. The 1943 Liberty Head Dime, also known as the Winged Head Dime or Mercury Dime, were only minted in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. What appears as a 'W' on the right side of the left.
Uncirculated
At the top end of the spectrum are uncirculated coins. These are highly sought after and extremely collectible. Uncirculated dimes are those that are in pristine condition and do not exhibit any sign of wear. If a coin has been circulated, it would generally show wear on the cheeks and hair of Liberty.
- Mercury dimes are also known as Winged Liberty Head dimes. The US minted the 1943 dime with no mint mark and also the 1943 D dime and 1943 S dime. The mint mark, when present, can be found on the reverse side of the coin.
- The Winged Liberty Head dime – popularly though erroneously known as the 'Mercury dime' – is considered by many the most attractive U.S. 1943-D 10C MS66 Full Bands PCGS.
Extremely fine
Dimes that are graded extremely fine are still in good condition but show some signs of slight wear. The hair of Liberty that is closest to her eye may appear to be flattened slightly and some feather details may show some loss in definition. Still, these coins possess a fresh and clear appearance.
Fine
The design on the middle of the dime has been smoothly worn, and there’s a slight separation of the wing and hair design. Liberty’s hair curls and forehead do not appear to be separated anymore and most of the feathers have levelled into one. On the other side, the once prominent bundle of rows would typically exhibit signs of wear with only a handful of vertical lines remaining.
1943 Liberty Dime W Series
Good
Coins that are graded “good” can be described as heavily worn. The mintmark and date are still visible, however most of the design elements have been worn smooth. The rim would have also worn into the lettering. The value of this coin is most likely equal to its silver content.
Subtle toning and dime value
Top grade 1943 Mercury dimes generally feature great blue toning and attractive light pastel reds. For a dime to be highly valuable, it should also be devoid of any bruises, nicks or blemishes. The mint that manufactured it should also have done an outstanding job of making a bold and well-defined strike. Coin collectors are willing to pay good money for Mercury dimes that are in excellent and pristine condition.
Why are ten cent coins made in 1943 called Mercury dimes?
Technically, these coins are named Liberty Head dimes. People though also christened it Mercury because Miss Liberty’s head ornament was similar in appearance to the winged cap of Mercury, the Greek god of abundance.
1943 Liberty Dime For Sale
The W mark on the coin
1943 Liberty Dime Silver
A lot of people do not have an idea as to the meaning of the letter W (which in reality is the letters A and W intertwined) found on the coin’s front side. This symbol is actually a monogram of the initials of the designer of the coin, A.A. Weinman. As with most coins made prior to the year 1968, the mint marks of Mercury dimes are embedded on the reverse side.