US Dimes

[brandm24]

Going back to the Mercuries for a second. I came across some details about the coin's designer, Adolph Weinman.

Weinman, like several other US coin designers (Schlag for one) was born in Germany. His birthplace was Karlsruhe. In 1880 at the age of 10 he immigrated here with his parents. Weinman studied his craft at two high-profile schools in New York, Cooper Union and the Art Students League and later worked in the studio of Philip Martiny. In 1896 he furthered his studies under Augustus St. Gaudens who was a great influence on him. I'ts very noticeable in his design of the Walking Liberty Half Dollar.

When the decision was made to redesign Charles E. Barber's earlier dime, quarter, and half dollar coinage, Weinman submitted designs and was chosen, ironically, over Barber's submissions, for both the dime and half dollar. Barber had been the mint's chief engraver for 36 years at that point and was taken aback by the choice of Weinman's submissions over his.

The mint liked the Mercury design but was forced to tweek it slightly when vending machine manufacturers had difficulty making it work in their machines.

The model used for the portrait was named Elise Stevens, the wife of lawyer and poet Wallace Stevens.

The attached image is one of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition medal designed by Weinman in 1904.

Bruce

[brandm24]

I found only a single pattern coin of Weinman's original design. The reworked design is essentially the same as the original but minor adjustments had to be made to satisfy the vending machine manufacturers. Trial strikes were made and sent to several companies. Apparently, these are the source for the very small number known to exist today. Only two are known to reside in private collections.

The slight differences between the pattern and the production examples include the position of the bust. On the pattern it's positioned slightly to the right and covers less of the E in Liberty. Weinman moved it slightly to the left and also moved the rim lettering away from the edge of the planchet. A few minor changes were made on the reverse also.

In addition to designs submitted by Barber and Weinman, two other artists made submissions. They were Hermon Mc Neil and Albin Polasek.

Bruce

[gpimper]

1949-D.  Looks like it lived in a coal miner's pocket :-)  26 million minted.

[gpimper]

Little back-story...My Dad worked at a power plant in eastern Arizona when I was young (yes, that was a thing once ;-) and would come off of a 14-16 hour shift and dump all his pocket change into a bowl on the counter.  I was on it like flies on poop!  Many of the coins in my collection came from there.  I did give back some of the silver quarters and let him know what they were worth at the time.  Fun stuff!

[Prosit]

When I was  pre-teen we lived a block from a Mom and Pop small grocery store.
The owners would allow me to bring my collection to the store and go through the till if they weren't busy
exchanging my coins for theirs. My Mom and Dad worked (I was a latch key kid) and I would get to go through their change too.
Pre 1964 all coins were Silver except the Nickel but there were buffalos. Lots of Wheats, Mercs and Standing liberty, Franklin and occasional Barber and even older coins. Couldn't afford anything but cents, nickels and dimes and they often got spent for a treat 
In 1964 when the Silver left I was 9 so a coke and slo-poker sucker often got some of my collection. I remember walking the streets and picking up discarded pop bottles to redeem for the 2c cent deposit.

But...those weren't the good ole days...today is.

Dale

Little back-story...My Dad worked at a power plant in eastern Arizona when I was young (yes, that was a thing once ;-) and would come off of a 14-16 hour shift and dump all his pocket change into a bowl on the counter.  I was on it like flies on poop!  Many of the coins in my collection came from there.  I did give back some of the silver quarters and let him know what they were worth at the time.  Fun stuff!

[gpimper]

Dale, that's brilliant!  Wish I'd thought of it.  A number of stores were I grew up would have let me do that.

Sorry that the dimes are all the same from here on but I look forward to some mints and proofs.

[Prosit]

IF someone has one......1965, 66 and 67...there were special mint sets (SMS)...not proof but nearly.
I don't have a loose SMS to scan except for the quarter.

Dale

Dale, that's brilliant!  Wish I'd thought of it.  A number of stores were I grew up would have let me do that.

Sorry that the dimes are all the same from here on but I look forward to some mints and proofs.

[gpimper]

I know I told the wife no more than one post a day...but she's out of town so I can do what ever I want :-)  Here is a rather nice1962-D.  They minted a lot but it is nice.  I'll keep a eye out for those 60s you are looking for.

[Prosit]

Not looking for any, (I have the SMS coins but not in containers I can scan)
just thought it would be good to have a pic here.
Dale

I know I told the wife no more than one post a day...but she's out of town so I can do what ever I want :-)  Here is a rather nice1962-D.  They minted a lot but it is nice.  I'll keep a eye out for those 60s you are looking for.

[gpimper]

Bruce, I'm sure I recounted my "volcano" incident before but it's so fun I can always retell :-)  Life is short...share your stories!  1994 my crew amazingly got two days off.  We nabbed a crew buss (14 passengers, I thing) and went on adventure in Sicily.  Wonderful place!  We crashed a wedding twice for regrooms and booze (they were great!)  then went up the the lava look-out point on Mt. Etna.  I had just been sipping nice Sicilian wine and didn't realize my boss was really into the Ooze.  We were watching the lava (cool) and he taps me and said we need to take a leak.  I'm good with that considering the amount of wine.  We walk over to the opposite cliff...about 15 feet drop.  Doing our busyness I notice him not so stable.  Next thing I know he gets my elbow and down we go!  Luck has it that I landed on him :-)  Still hurt.  Note to self, do not fall off volcanoes!

[brandm24]

Love all the stories, guys. I collected the empty soda bottles too, Dale...2 cents for the smaller ones and a nickel for the half gallon. I lived pretty rural then but there was a lot of new homes being built and I'd always find empties left at job sites. Had to wait until dad took me to the store to cash them in because it was too far away for me to ride my bike to.

1949-D.  Looks like it lived in a coal miner's pocket :-)  26 million minted.

Was that one you got from your dad's pocket, Greg?

Congrats on living through the volcano incident. At least you had the good sense to fall on top of your boss.

Bruce

[brandm24]

IF someone has one......1965, 66 and 67...there were special mint sets (SMS)...not proof but nearly.
I don't have a loose SMS to scan except for the quarter.

Dale

These aren't mine of course but picture shows a nice example (according to PCGS an MS-68) of a 1965 Roosevelt from a SMS. I found the complete sets that were selling for $12 or so.

I know the SMS were issued because they had stopped making proof sets those three years. It was due to a general coin shortage and the proofs were labor intensive.  By cutting out proof coinage they could devote more of their energies toward regular circulating coins. Does anybody know the reason for the shortage? I don't know if all denominations were affected or only some.

Bruce

[Figleaf]

The coin shortage was due to the retirement of silver in circulating coins. It affected circulating denominations containing silver before the Coinage Act of 1965, as they were hoarded.

Peter

[brandm24]

The coin shortage was due to the retirement of silver in circulating coins. It affected circulating denominations containing silver before the Coinage Act of 1965, as they were hoarded.

Peter

That makes a lot of sense then. I hadn't thought of the hoarding after the removal of silver.

I'd earlier come across an interesting story about the mint's attempt to increase production in response to the extreme shortages. They partnered with General Motors in the development of what was known as a roller press. The new equipment could supposedly produce an astounding 10,000 cent coins per minute. The experiment with the new technology never came to fruition though as too many technical issues were encountered. I think they focused only on increasing cent production because the cent shortage was the most severe.

Bruce

[gpimper]

The end of silver...1964 Philadelphia.  Nice dime, though.