1941 Dime Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
The US Mint has produced American coins for over 200 years, including some highly collectible pieces. Many collectors consider the Mercury (Winged Liberty Head) dime one of the most beautiful gems in the entire coinage.
Once you decide to start a collection, it is crucial to know that these silver coins were minted for almost 30 years, from 1916 to 1945. Even though most older pieces in top condition are scarce, the 1941 dime value is still pretty modest, thanks to their high mintage.
1941 dime value Chart |
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| Condition | 1941 No Mint mark dime | 1941 D dime | 1941 S dime |
| Good | $2 | $1.99 | $2 |
| Very good | $2,57 | $2.58 | $2,57 |
| Fine | $3.11 | $3.10 | $3.11 |
| Very fine | $3.22 | $3.21 | $3.22 |
| Extra fine | $3,37 | $3.36 | $3,37 |
| AU | $4.79 | $5.82 | $4.79 |
| MS 60 | $7.11 | $8.33 | $7.11 |
| MS 65 | $35 | $28 | $35 |
| Proof 63 | $314 | / | / |
1941 Mercury Dime Value Guides
The Mercury dime had a mintage of 263,830,557 pieces in 1941, distributed among three mints, but the incomparably greatest mintage had the Philadelphia mint. You can recognize four coin types, including three from regular strikes and proofs produced in Philadelphia.
1941 No Mint mark dime Value
The Philadelphia mint had the highest 1941 No Mint mark dime mintage and produced 175,090,000 pieces that year. Although this mint produced most coins from regular strikes, their price is almost the same as those from the other two mints.
1941 Mercury dime value |
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| Condition | 1941 No Mint mark dime | 1941 D dime | 1941 S dime |
| Good | $1.85 | $1.85 | $1.85 |
| Very good | $1.85 | $1.85 | $1.85 |
| Fine | $2 | $2 | $2 |
| Very fine | $2.45 to $2.55 | $2.45 to $2.55 | $2.45 to $2.55 |
| Extra fine | $3 | $3 | $3 |
| AU | $3.20 to $6.50 | $3.20 to $6.50 | $3.20 to $6.50 |
| MS 60 | $7 to $9 | $7 to $9 | $7 to $9 |
| MS 61 | $7 to $9 | $7 to $9 | $7 to $9 |
| MS 62 | $7 to $9 | $7 to $9 | $7 to $9 |
| MS 63 | $9 to $11 | $11 to $14 | $9 to $12 |
| MS 64 | $14 to $19 | $17 to $22 | $16 to $21 |
| MS 65 | $18 to $26 | $21 to $29 | $28 to $33.50 |
| MS 66 | $26 to $36 | $36 to $43.20 | $36 to $43 |
| MS 67 | $48 to $60 | $53 to $65 | $75 to $90 |
You can purchase most circulated pieces for $2 to $6.50, but even those in the mint state are not particularly valuable. Their price varies from $7 to $60, depending on the grade.
On the other hand, one dime with a high MS 68 rating produced in Philadelphia during the first war year was sold for $2,128 in 2001. The one in an MS 68+ with Full Bands reached an even better price in 2019 when one collector paid $17,625 for it.
1941 proof dime Value
Besides coins from regular strikes, the Philadelphia mint also produced 16,557 proof Mercury dimes in 1941. These coins are typically more valuable than those intended for circulation, and you should set aside $100 to $300 per piece.
1941 proof Mercury dime value |
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| Condition | 1941 dime | 1941 CAM dime |
| PR 60 | $100 to $120 | / |
| PR 61 | $105 to $126 | / |
| PR 62 | $110 to $132 | / |
| PR 63 | $120 to $144 | / |
| PR 64 | $130 to $156 | / |
| PR 65 | $140 to $168 | / |
| PR 66 | $175 to $198 | / |
| PR 67 | $275 to $312.50 | $4,000 to $4,800 |
| PR 68 | $2,300 to $3,000 | / |
| PR 69 | $14,000 to $16,100 | / |
Dimes in the highest grades can be costly, and collectors estimate their prices to be $2,300 to $16,000. However, current auction records are $4,025 for the 1941 PR 67 CAM Mercury dime and $13,200 for the specimen in a PR 69 grade.
1941 D dime Value
With 45,634,000 produced dimes, the Denver mint made the second mintage in 1941. Although it was about a third of the coin number produced in Philadelphia, their price is not significantly higher on the current market. You can buy most of them for $2 to $65, depending on each piece’s condition.
1941 S dime Value
Like in most cases, the San Francisco mint had the lowest mintage of the 1941 Mercury dimes and produced 43,090,000 pieces. Coins in the lowest condition are worth the same as those from the other two mints, but dimes in high grades are a bit more expensive.
The 1941 Mercury dimes with MS 67 rating can cost about $75 to $90. However, the most expensive piece in the series came from this mint and won an auction record. One collector paid $28,175 for the coin in an MS 68 grade.
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1941 Mercury Dime Errors
The Mercury dime series is known for very few imperfect coins. Therefore, you can find only one significant variety and one error among pieces minted in 1941.
Full Bands
The 1941 Mercury dime with Full Bands is desirable for collectors because of the completed horizontal lines in the fasces on the reverse. Interestingly, Adolph A. Weinman’s design included only such coins, but the minting limitation prevented most pieces from having the original appearance.
1941 FB Mercury dime value |
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| Condition | 1941 FB No Mint mark dime | 1941 FB D dime | 1941 FB S dime |
| MS 61 | $16 to $24 | $16 to $24 | $20 to $28 |
| MS 62 | $17 to $25 | $17 to $25 | $21 to $29 |
| MS 63 | $20 to $28 | $20 to $28 | $24 to $32 |
| MS 64 | $26 to $34 | $26 to $34 | $30 to $38 |
| MS 65 | $38 to $48 | $43 to $53 | $41 to $49 |
| MS 66 | $48 to $60 | $53 to $70 | $70 to $84 |
| MS 67 | $130 to $156 | $130 to $156 | $220 to $264 |
| MS 68 | $2,600 to $3,800 | $1,240 to $1,400 | $4,000 to $4,800 |
This year had strong strikes as the norm, and Full Bands dimes are pretty common and inexpensive in an MS 67 grade. Only pieces with a higher rating can be more valuable.
1942 over 1941 Mercury dime
The 1942 overdate coin error has the number 2 over 1 in the date on the obverse, resulting from doubling. In this particular case, two different dies struck a coin, probably in late 1941, when the US Mint introduced new 1942 dies.
It is unknown why several dimes from Philadelphia and Denver were first struck with a 1941 die and again with a 1942 die thereafter. Since these pieces are collectible, you can expect to pay about $500 for the one in circulated condition and $1,500 for the coin in the mint state.
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History of the 1941 Mercury Dime
Mercury (Winged Liberty Head) dime came into circulation in 1916, when the Barber dimes went into history. The US Mint continued with their production until 1945, with two pauses, in 1932 and 1933. This minting discontinuity resulted from the Great Depression.
Even though this coin’s official name is Winged Liberty Head, it never caught on among Americans. They named the new coin the Mercury dime because someone noticed the similarity between the Liberty’s face and Mercury, the Roman god.
Adolph Weinman created the young Liberty with a lovely winged Phrygian cap on her head. Most experts believe that the poet and lawyer Wallace Stevens’ wife, Elsie Stevens, was a model for this coin obverse.
A fasces on the reverse symbolized American unity and the new nation’s strength, but it was intertwined with an olive branch, an international symbol of peace. Although these coins’ design was beautiful, the US Mint modified them because vending machine manufacturers had problems adjusting them to these devices.
1941 Mercury dime |
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| Location | Year | Minted |
| Philadelphia | 1941 No Mint mark dime | 175,090,000 |
| Philadelphia | 1941 proof dime | 16,557 |
| Denver | 1941 D dime | 45,634,000 |
| San Francisco | 1941 S dime | 43,090,000 |
| Total | / | 263,830,557 |
The 1941 Mercury dime was minted in the first war year after the attack on Pearl Harbor. This historical significance is why collectors like this coin, although its value is pretty modest regardless of the mint that minted them.
You can expect these coins to become rare in the future since both experienced collectors and novices equally appreciate and collect them. Sometimes, you can come across this dime in circulation, but it is an increasingly rare case.
In 1945, the Treasury decided to replace these adorable coins with a new design honoring the deceased President Roosevelt. However, the Mercury dime stayed one of the most collectible American coins nowadays.
Since these dimes were not forgotten, the US Mint struck them again in 2016. It was a way to remember this significant part of American coinage, and minting gold coins was an excellent way to commemorate its centenary.
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Features of the 1941 Mercury Dime
The US Mint produced Mercury dimes from 1916 to 1945, and many collectors consider them the most beautiful American coinage besides Morgan dollars.
The obverse of the 1941 Mercury dime
Adolph Alexander Weinman created the unique obverse with Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap with wings on both sides. However, many people confused it with the Roman god Mercury, giving a new coin a nickname it is known to this day.
The elegant design includes the word Liberty, the DATE, and the letter W, indicating the creator’s initials. The required motto, IN GOD WE TRUST, is struck left of the bust’s neck.
The reverse of the 1941 Mercury dime
The relatively complicated reverse includes centrally positioned fasces, symbolizing unity and strength. Next to it is an ax strengthened with a bundle of sticks and wrapped with an olive branch, an international peace symbol. Along the rim are inscriptions of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and ONE DIME denomination.
1941 Mercury dime |
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| Face value | 10 cents ($0.1) |
| Compound | 90% silver and 10% copper |
| Coin weight | 0.08038 troy ounces (2.5 g) |
| Silver weight | 0.07234 troy ounces (2.25 g) |
| Coin diameter | 1.70512 inches (17.91 mm) |
| Coin thickness | 0.05315 inches (1.35 mm) |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded (118 reeds) |
Other features of the 1941 Mercury dime
This 0.05315 inches (1.35 mm) thick 10-cent silver coin weighs 0.08038 troy ounces (2.5 g), including 0.07234 troy ounces (2.25 g) of the precious metal. Like other Mercury dimes, the one struck in 1941 has a reeded edge with 118 reeds and a diameter of 1.70512 inches (17.91 mm).
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What makes a 1941 Mercury dime rare?
The last minted few Mercury dimes without the mint mark from 1941 are the most precious in the series. These coins were struck twice, with a 1941 die and again with a 1942 die after that. Since these coins are highly collectible, you can expect to pay $500 to $1,500 per one on the current market.
Which 1941 Mercury dime is worth a lot of money?
- 1941 S MS 68 FB Mercury dime cost $28,175 at Bowers & Merena in 2006
- 1941 MS 68+ FB Mercury dime cost $17,625 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in 2019
- 1941 PR 69 Mercury dime cost $13,200 at Heritage Auctions in 2020
- 1941 D MS 68 FB Mercury dime cost $5,290 at Heritage Auctions in 2000
- 1941 PR 67 CAM Mercury dime cost $4,025 at Heritage Auctions in 2006
- 1941 S MS 68 FB PL Mercury dime cost $3,840 at Heritage Auctions in 2020
- 1941 MS 68 Mercury dime cost $2,128 at Heritage Auctions in 2001
- 1941 S MS 68 Mercury dime cost $1,266 at Heritage Auctions in 2004
- 1941 D MS 68 Mercury dime cost $423 at Heritage Auctions in 2016
How much is the 1941 No Mint mark Mercury dime worth?
Most circulated Mercury dimes struck in Philadelphia cost $2 to $6.50. On the other hand, you should pay about $7 to $60 for those in the mint mark, depending on the grade. The most valuable are pieces with Full Bands, and one such specimen with MS 68 rating won an auction record with the price of $17,625.
What is the most pricey Mercury dime?
Despite a value estimation of $25,000, the unique 1919 MS 66 Mercury dime reached an impressive $218,500 at an auction in 2000. That makes this unbelievably beautiful coin the most expensive Mercury dime ever.