1918 Mercury Dime. MS-67 FB (PCGS). CAC.Breathtakingly beautiful surfaces are brilliant with a full endowment of frosty white luster. Silky smooth in texture, both sides are expertly preserved in all regards and border on pristine. The strike is sharp to full throughout and equally impressive in the centers and near the borders. While still boasting a sizable mintage of 26,680,000 coins, the 1918 Mercury dime represents a decrease to less than half of what was struck at the Philadelphia Mint the previous year (55.2 million). Production quality is a concern for this issue, and most examples show a characteristic peripheral weakness. David W. Lange speculates that this may be attributed to improper preparation of the dies or the use of inadequately skilled workers due to the war effort. Though the 1918 is common in Mint State grades, examples with Full Bands on the reverse are scarce. The present example represents a true anomaly, combining extraordinary preservation with exceptional striking quality in one of the finest known examples of this issue. For the advanced specialist in the Mercury dime series and the high-end PCGS Registry Set participant, our offering of this piece represents an important opportunity.
