1916 Dime Pattern - J-1982

Coin Details

Description

A second business strike pattern for the 1916 Mercury dime, distinguished from J-1981 by its die combination, composition, or striking characteristics. The existence of multiple business-strike-format dime patterns indicates the Mint was methodically evaluating how Weinman's Winged Liberty Head design would perform under production conditions. Adolph Weinman, a German-born sculptor who had studied under Augustus Saint-Gaudens, brought a sculptor's sensitivity to the challenge of designing coins for mass production. His dime design was notable for its high relief and fine detail, particularly in the wing feathers of Liberty's cap and the individual rods of the reverse fasces, elements that required careful die preparation to reproduce consistently at production speeds. The 1916 redesign of the dime was part of a broader transformation of American silver coinage: in the same year, the quarter was redesigned by Hermon Atkins MacNeil and the half dollar by Weinman himself, creating a coordinated suite of three new designs that would define the visual identity of American silver coinage for the next three decades. J-1982 documents the Mint's assessment of Weinman's design in a format approximating actual circulation production.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8 (Extremely Rare). Business strike dime patterns are very scarce.

Cross References

Judd J-1982, Pollock P-2174