1925-D

Denver struck 5,117,000 dimes in 1925, a mid-tier branch mintage that hides one of the most significant condition rarities in the entire series. Available Mint State coins exist in adequate numbers, but the population thins dramatically above MS-64 and the date carries a steep reputation for soft strikes. The central fasces on many 1925-D dimes shows almost no definition between the horizontal bands at the center, even on coins with fresh surfaces and full luster. As a result the Full Bands designation is a major condition rarity, and certified FB examples at MS-65 and above bring strong premiums relative to non-FB peers. Heavy circulation through the Depression years thinned survival ranks at all grades, and most encountered examples grade Good through Very Fine with typical Denver wear patterns.

The series carries the Adolph A. Weinman type, with the winged Liberty obverse and the fasces-and-olive-branch reverse. Composition is 90 percent silver, 10 percent copper, weighing 2.5 grams at 17.9 millimeters with a reeded edge. The D mintmark sits on the reverse to the left of the fasces base. The Full Bands (FB) designation, granted by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), demands complete separation between the two horizontal bands at the fasces center, and on this date that separation is rarely achieved. Authentication focuses on the mintmark for evidence of tooling or repunching that could indicate an altered coin, plus weight against the 2.5-gram standard. Even die-flow texture in the fields, full obverse cheek detail, and well-defined wing feathers help confirm originality.

Population data at PCGS and NGC confirms the 1925-D's stature as one of the great Full Bands condition rarities of the series, and premium examples have produced notable results at Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers Galleries. Read the full Mercury Dime series history.