1928-D

Denver produced 4,161,000 dimes in 1928, one of the lower branch-mint figures of the late-1920s run. The coins entered Western commercial channels and saw heavy use through the early Depression years, leaving most surviving examples in Good through Very Fine grades. Mint State coins exist in moderate numbers, though high-grade material thins meaningfully above MS-64. Strike quality on the 1928-D varied across the production, and Full Bands designation runs scarce on this date because a noticeable share of coins show soft central detail. The date sits among the more challenging Denver issues of the decade when evaluated by gem FB availability rather than by simple mintage alone. Original rolls did not survive in significant quantities, and most upper Mint State coins surfaced through advanced specialist holdings over the postwar decades.

Adolph A. Weinman's 1916 design carries through, with the winged Liberty obverse and the fasces-and-olive-branch reverse. Composition is 90 percent silver, 10 percent copper, 2.5 grams, 17.9 millimeters, with a reeded edge. The D mintmark appears 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), requires full separation across the two horizontal bands at the fasces center. Authentication checkpoints include mintmark integrity and font, weight verification at the 2.5-gram standard, and inspection of the obverse and reverse fields for hairlines from past cleaning. Genuine examples show fine die-flow grain in the fields at magnification and even rim work without traces of tooling or harsh polishing.

PCGS and NGC population data on the 1928-D shows a steep drop-off at MS-66 FB, and gem examples have produced notable results at Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers Galleries. Original surfaces with consistent luster across the cheek, wing, and reverse fields are the strongest signal of long-term holding value. Read the full Mercury Dime series history.