Q.David Bowers
The Numismatist printed the reactions of several prominent collectors and dealers. Farran Zerbe of San Francisco said:
I am delighted with the new dime. J. W. Scott in New York City said:
The new dime is the best piece of work that the United States Mint has turned out in a century.
Henry Chapman, the well-known Philadelphia dealer, noted that:
I think the new dime is a very creditable production, and am glad to see such an artistic coin come out from this country.
Edgar H. Adams, the most prominent numismatic student of the time, observed that: The new dime, in my opinion, is one of the handsomest coins of the denomination that has been issued for regular circulation in the country. There are a few minor features that may be criticized, but the general effect is quite commendable. I hope the designs for the new half and quarter dollars will be as satisfactory.
Wayte Raymond, who was gaining prominence as a rare coin dealer, said:
I think very favorably of the new dime. The head of Liberty has considerable resemblance to some coins of the Roman Republic, and is very artistic. The only criticism I have to make is the fact that the words" In God We Trust" and the date seem to be placed on the die as an afterthought, as there really is no space for them on the obverse.
B. Max Mehl, the Texas dealer, shared his opinion:
To my mind it does not require very artistic efforts to excel the old issue. The new issue is indeed a welcome addition to our coinage, and one which I think will meet with the approval of thinking numismatists. From a business stand-point I think any new issue is a good thing for the numismatic profession, as it seems to stimulate interest not only among collectors, but among non-collectors, and is the means of bringing out a considerable number of collectors.
Thomas L. Elder, who was always willing to give his opinion on any subject from pennies to politics, wrote a very lengthy comment which said, in part:
We have in the new United States dime, designed by Adolph Alexander Weinman, the handsomest American coin ... so, after years of waiting and not a little agitation, in which I claim a share, we have here a coin which is second to none we have issued, and it will compare favorably with any in Europe, which is saying much. Let us hope the new quarter and half dollar, soon to appear, will be as creditable.
The Mercury dime was produced from 1916 to 1945.
Following President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's death in the latter year, plans were made to honor him on the ten-cent piece, for during his lifetime he was closely associated with the March of Dimes campaign.
John R. Sinnock, who became chief engraver in 1925, replacing George T. Morgan, was named to submit models for the new design. These were ready in October 1945.
The Commission of Fine Arts didn't like the design and proposed that a competition be held among leading artists. This idea was rejected for it was felt that the new dimes had to be ready by January 1946 for the March of Dimes program. Accordingly, despite many protests the Sinnock designs were modified and used. Coinage of the Roosevelt dime continued from that date.
Twenty-Cent Pieces (1875-1878)
Senator J. P. Jones of Nevada introduced a bill in February 1874 which provided for the coinage of a twenty-cent piece. Authorization for the new denomination was provided by the Coinage Act of March 3, 1875.
The director of the Mint reported in 1874:
The issue of a coin of that denomination will not only be in accordance with our decimal system of money, but will re-move a difficulty in making change which now exists upon the Pacific Coast and in Texas where the five-cent copper-nickel coins do not circulate, and where it was formerly the practice to apply the term "bits," "two bits," "four bits," respectively to fractions of the Spanish dollar which circulated there.
It was further suggested by others that the twenty cent piece was more fitting to our system of currency, for in the large denomination paper money notes there were issues of $10, $20, and $50, but none of $25. Thus a twenty-cent piece would be more compatible.
Joseph K. Bailly, a Philadelphia sculptor, prepared models for the new denomination. Director Pollock believed that Bailly's design, the figure of Liberty seated on a globe, resembled the quarters too closely and suggested that William Barber prepare additional patterns. In 1875 further designs were submitted.
Despite Pollock's original concern, when a motif was selected for circulation it was the regular Liberty seated style as used on the quarter of the period. The eagle was copied from the trade dollar. With a size, shape, and design somewhat similar to the quarter (although the twenty-cent piece had a plain edge rather than a reeded edge), the new denomination caused much confusion when it was introduced to the public. A twenty-cent piece would be given as payment for a five-cent ferry boat ride, and the ticket seller, mistaking it for a quarter, would give too much change. Complaints of this nature were voiced often. After a mintage of over one million pieces the first year, 1875, production dropped sharply. In 1876 fewer than 25,000 coins were struck for circulation, and of this number apparently most were melted, The two following years, 1877 and 1878, were limited solely to Proof strikings made for collectors, After that time the denomination was discontinued. From the series emerged a great rarity, the 1876 Carson City issue. Although 10,000 were struck, apparently nearly all went to the melting pot. Fewer than 20 specimens are known to exist today.