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Posted Today 47M ago
Quote:
...I'm now on a journey to find better grade teens and twenties branch mint coins with close to FB. ...Anyway I'm having a lot of fun hunting for older Mercury dimes. I don't think I'll purchase any 1940s coins unless I find a cool variety though as certified seems like a waste (I know, you may argue having any certified is a waste). I love the design of the Mercury dime and some of the early dates are MUCH more challenging than I could have imagined so this should be fun..
For any collectors out there - What did you look for when buying certified Mercury dimes? Did you go for FB? Would love to see any favorites from your collection too!
...I'm now on a journey to find better grade teens and twenties branch mint coins with close to FB. ...Anyway I'm having a lot of fun hunting for older Mercury dimes. I don't think I'll purchase any 1940s coins unless I find a cool variety though as certified seems like a waste (I know, you may argue having any certified is a waste). I love the design of the Mercury dime and some of the early dates are MUCH more challenging than I could have imagined so this should be fun..
For any collectors out there - What did you look for when buying certified Mercury dimes? Did you go for FB? Would love to see any favorites from your collection too!
@LibertyEagle20, thanks for posting this! I love early date Mercury dimes, that's my focus! 
You can check out my PCGS set registry here, and read the little blurb I wrote about the early dates! https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/alltimeset/315326I have been much less active on this forum the last few years, but I posted about my collecting journey in a few spots, I'll link to a few below. I just happened upon your post today when I was searching online for any Mercury dime collector groups (Facebook or otherwise).
To provide direct feedback on your questions...what I look for in certified Mercury dimes are coins that are well struck and have original surfaces (un-dipped/unadulterated), with natural toning. Original century-old silver dimes shouldn't look artificially bright white, so that isn't too appealing to me. As I say in the set registry intro: "I endeavor to include specimens that are well struck with toned luster and crusty original skin."
The design of the coin itself, and the rarity of the early dates (1916-1931) attracts me, and the inherent challenge of finding any decent specimens.
The branch mint early dates are super rare, I've been targeting AU58 in many dates, a few I've gotten lucky at MS62. Regarding FB, I really only have a few FB specimens in my collection, and have been thinking more recently how I really like luster a lot more than full bands. For instance, I'd like to upgrade my 1916 64FB to a toned 66. I really think that's where the good deals are, non-FB specimens, otherwise you're paying a pretty big premium oftentimes for FB.
Favorites from my collection, for me are the ones I purchased raw and graded higher than expected, and also those that I've been able to find out about a backstory. I started with a 1921-D raw ebay purchase for $300 in 2016 that graded VF35 at PCGS, and I've now got around 60 mercs in my collection, with around 10 of those in old ANACS soap box holders, the rest PCGS. I now have a few specimens of each key date too (16-D, 21, 21-D, and 26-S).
A few examples would be this one that I posted about, the 1926-S.
https://goccf.com/t/336876
This one achieved PCGS AU53: https://www.pcgs.com/cert/46306105
Back in Feb 2022, I posted this:
1919-S Mercury dime - Original Mid-Au?
https://goccf.com/t/416177
That one ended up PCGS AU58 and just received a CAC sticker!
https://www.pcgs.com/cert/46306100
Edited by one_fine_dime
Today 35M ago
Today 35M ago
