1929-D

Denver produced 5,034,000 dimes in 1929, a moderate branch-mint figure that hides a stronger condition challenge than the mintage alone might suggest. The coin circulated through the early Depression years and saw heavy use across the western states, leaving most surviving examples in Good through Very Fine grades. Mint State coins exist in moderate numbers, but the Full Bands designation is quite tough on this date because a sizable share of the production carries soft central detail. Series specialists treat the 1929-D as a meaningful condition challenge at the gem FB level, with certified MS-66 FB examples drawing strong premiums over their non-FB counterparts. Original rolls did not survive in significant quantities, and most upper-grade material has filtered through advanced collections over decades rather than from any single major hoard.

The Adolph A. Weinman design holds with Liberty in a winged Phrygian cap on the obverse and the fasces wrapped by an olive branch on the reverse. Composition stays at 90 percent silver, 10 percent copper, 2.5 grams, 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, applied by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), demands complete separation across the two horizontal bands at the fasces center. Authentication includes mintmark inspection for tooling or repunching artifacts, weight verification at 2.5 grams, and a look at the obverse cheek and wing crest for original luster versus high-point rub. Even reeded edge spacing helps confirm originality and the absence of rim repair.

PCGS and NGC population data on the 1929-D shows a sharp drop above MS-65 FB, with gem-plus examples bringing strong results at Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers Galleries. Read the full Mercury Dime series history.