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The 2016 24K Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin is the first of three 24-karat gold coins the US Mint issued in 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of three classic coin designs first issued in 1916.
The coin’s obverse, Adolph A. Weinman's 1916 winning design chosen by The Commission of Fine Arts was actually inspired by a real person named Elsie K Stevens. Mr. Weinman sculpted a bust of her 3 years earlier in 1913. Mrs. Stevens was a tenant above Mr. Weinman's studio in New York City which is how they met. The dime is a detailed profile of Mrs. Elsie K Stevens. Obverse inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “2016.”
The coin’s reverse design, also by Weinman, depicts a Roman fasces and an olive branch, indicating America’s military readiness but also her desire for peace. Reverse inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “AU,” “24K,” “1/10 OZ.,” and “ONE DIME.”
Adolph A. Weinman's path to coin design started when he had the good fortune to study under Augustus Saint Gaudens beginning in 1896. In 1905 Mr. Gaudens invited Adolph to work together on a medal for President Theodore Roosevelt's inauguration. President Roosevelt was very passionate about the redesign of US coinage and it was Augustus Saint Gaudens who asked President Roosevelt to accept Adolph Weinman on the project. This wise decision would eventually lead to what some called " The most beautiful coin design ever created".
The US Mint released the Centennial 24k Gold Mercury Dime on April 21, 2016. The release day price was $205.00; the price of gold was $1,248.01. Enthusiasm coupled with a price that was out of no ones reach sold out the coin on the first day with the US Mint holding back 9,000 coins as they reevaluated sales figures. In the end sales reached 124,885 gold dimes sold as posted in the US Mint sales report dated April 23rd, 2017.
Sources; US Mint, USA Gold, NGC Coin Explorer