Owner Comments:

Lightly toned1916-D 10C MS67 Full Bands NGC. The 1916-D, as the most famous key date in the Mercury dime series, is popularly called a rarity. In most grades, whether or not it deserves to be called "rare" depends on one's perspective; the early series collector, for example, who delves into the minutiae that differentiate the die pair with only five known from the one with thousands of survivors, might scoff at the idea of the 1916-D dime, a 20th century issue with a mintage of slightly over a quarter-million pieces, being considered rare. At the MS67 Full Bands level, however, its condition rarity must be respected. This coin is one of just two MS67 Full Bands representatives certified by NGC, tied with six others graded by PCGS for the finest known (6/09).
Key-date coins so fine rarely change hands, and the appearance of this remarkable, sharply struck Superb Gem at auction is an event. Heritage has offered an MS67 Full Bands example only once before, in its April 2001 Central States auction, which saw the PCGS-certified William Dominick specimen hammered down for a six-figure sum. In the eight years since, demand for Mercury dimes, particularly the key dates in top grades, has only grown.
This Superb Gem representative has comparable definition and eye appeal, with a clear line separating the bands of the fasces, and the detail elsewhere is equally impressive. The luster is glowing and slightly frosty on the highest design elements, and reddish-orange and blue-violet toning elements are present at the obverse periphery and throughout the reverse fields. For the high-end Mercury dime aficionado, this is one key-date coin not to be missed.(Registry values: N10218) (#4907)