How Much is a 1944 Mercury Dime Worth (Price Chart)

Many people think that the 1944 Mercury dime is one of the most beautiful coins that the US Mint produced in the 21st century. Plus, most collectors believe it is a valuable piece of American history and the lovely part of any collection.

This coin is not pricey, and most people can afford it regardless of the available budget. Many lower-grade pieces will cost you a few dollars, but their value is still higher than the silver price used for the production. In most cases, the 1944 Dime value will primarily depend on the mint where it was minted. Let’s see.

1944 Dime History

Mercury dimes (Winged Liberty head dimes) are among the most beautiful US dimes ever produced. That makes them highly desirable for both collectors and those who look for a stable investment. The goal was to replace the previous Barber design, so US Mint director Robert Woolley organized a competition to find the best solution.

1944 Dime

Location Year Minted Value
Philadelphia 1944 231,410,000 $4
San Francisco 1944 S 49,490,000 $4
Denver 1944 D 62,224,000 $4
Total 1944 343,124,000 /

Engraver and sculptor Adolph A. Weinman won the competition and designed the Mercury dime made of 90% silver and 10% copper in 1915. This coin with a reeded edge has a standard weight of 0.08 troy ounces (2.5 g), a thickness of 0.05 inches (1.35 mm), and a diameter of 0.7 inches (17.9 mm).

As typical for this coin type, it consists of 0.07234 troy ounces (2.25 g) of silver. Therefore, you can quickly calculate its melting value if you know that the current silver bullion price is $1.62. In 1944, three US mints produced this ten-cent coin:

  • Philadelphia, without a mint mark
  • San Francisco, with an S mint mark
  • Denver, with a D mint mark

1944 Dime

Compound commodity Compound weight Coin weight Metal weight Commodity price Metal value
Silver 90% 0.08 troy ounces (2.5 g) 0.07234 troy ounces (2.25 g) 14.88 per 1 troy ounce (31.1 g) $1.18
Copper 10% 0.08 troy ounces (2.5 g) 0.008 troy ounces (0.25 g) 34 per 1 troy ounce (31.1 g) $0.3
Total coin value / / 0.08 troy ounces (2.5 g) / $1.48

The 1944 Mercury dime is an intriguing date in the series. WWII was almost over, and it was necessary to improve the wartime economy. The Philadelphia mint produced 231,410,000 coins that year, the largest number of minted dimes in the whole series.

That is also a year with a significant decrease in coin strike quality, so only rare pieces reached required strong and full strikes. As a result, 1944 Mercury dimes with fully separated bands on the fasces are expensive rarities nowadays.

1944 Dime value by USA Coin book

Quality 1944 1944 S 1944 D
Good $2 $2 $2
Very good $2.6 $2.6 $2.6
Fine $3.13 $3.13 $3.13
Very fine $3.23 $3.23 $3.23
Extra fine $3.38 $3.38 $3.38
About uncirculated $4.46 $4.52 $4.52
Mint state 60 $6.1 $7 $7
Mint state 65 $27 $34 $34
Proof 63 / / /

A so-called Full Band coin has visible bands on the fasces with a small horizontal line through the coin middle. The most precious Full Bands coins never have any abrasion over this tiny line.

1944 Dime value by JM Bullion

Coin Quality
Good Fine Extra fine Uncirculated
1944 dime $2.25 $3 $3.25 $4.5
1944 S dime $2.25 $3 $3.25 $5
1944 D dime $2.25 $3 $3.25 $5

As you can guess, these pieces are always uncirculated since coins in lower grades first lose these details. Keep in mind that only third-party grading companies can give a Full Bands designation to one dime. Without this sign, it is impossible to get the best price for your coin.

1944 Dime Value

1944 Mercury dime without a mint mark

1944 Mercury dime without a mint mark

The unusual thing about the 1944 Mercury dime is that you can find two extremes with entirely different values. In most cases, the coin in fine condition is pretty cheap and is worth $1.50 to $3, which is the price of silver it is made of.

1944 Dime value by COIN HelpU

Coin Quality
Good Fine Very fine Extra fine About circulated MS 63 FB
1944 dime $1.5 $1.7 $2 $3 $7 $15
1944 S dime $1.5 $1.7 $2 $3 $10 $14
1944 D dime $1.5 $1.7 $2 $3 $9 $15

One MS 60 coin will cost only $6, and even an MS 65 piece will be affordable, and you can get one for $27 to $30. On the other hand, the 1944 MS 65 Mercury dime with the Full Bands designation is worth $80. Keep in mind that pieces graded lower than MS 60 can’t receive this designation.

1944 S Mercury dime

1944 S Mercury dime

The San Francisco mint produced 49,490,000 Mercury dimes in 1944, and many of these coins have survived until today. Except for MS 67+ rare and expensive pieces, coins of all grades, including those with Full Bands designation, are available at an affordable price.

1944 Dime value by CoinStudy, 9/27/2021

Coin Quality
Good Fine Extra fine Uncirculated
1944 dime $1.7 $1.78 $2 $4.7
1944 S dime $1.7 $1.78 $2 $5.5
1944 D dime $1.7 $1.78 $2 $5.95

Most of these coins are worth approximately $2 to $27, but only certified dimes in the mint state can reach the highest price. On the other hand, even a piece in poor condition will be worth at least $1.37 more than silver bullion of the same weight.

1944 D Mercury dime

1944 D Mercury dime

In 1944, the Denver mint made 62,224,000 Mercury dimes, making it a highly ordinary coin in a lower condition. The price of the one in fine grade is only $2 to $5. Even 1944 MS 67 Mercury dime in Full Bands will be worth about $60 to $75. However, it is possible to find dozens of coins with even higher grading.

1944 Dime value by Greysheet

Quality 1944 1944 S 1944 D
Good $2.3 $2.3 $2.3
Very good $2.3 to 2.4 $2.3 to $2.4 $2.3 to 2.4
Fine $2.8 $2.8 $2.8
Very fine $3.4 to $3.8 $3.8 to $3.4 $3.4 to $3.8
Extra fine $4.3 $4.3 $4.3
About uncirculated $4.5 to $6.5 $4.5 to $6.5 $4.5 to $6.5
MS 60 $8 to $10 $8 to $10 $8 to $10
MS 61 $8 to $10 $8 to $10 $8 to $10
MS 62 $8 to $11 $8 to $11 $8 to $11
MS 63 $9.5 to $12 $13.5 to $16.2 $12 to $15
MS 64 $17.5 to $21 $21.6 to $25 $17.5 to $21
MS 65 $23 to $30 $27 to 33.7 $23 to $30
MS 66 $33.75 to $40.5 $40.5 to $47.2 $33.75 to $40.5
MS 67 $61 to $73 $74 to $89 $61 to $73

Even though this coin type is not rare, some extraordinary dimes reached surprisingly high prices, including:

  • $715 to $878 for 1944 MS 67 Mercury dime
  • $182 to $218 for 1944 MS 66 Mercury dime
  • $81 to $101 for 1944 MS 65 Mercury dime

1944 Dime value by Coinflation

Coin Quality
Good Fine Extra fine Uncirculated
1944 dime $1.5 to $2 $1.7 to $2.2 $3 to $3.5 $4.5+
1944 D dime $1.5 to $2 $1.7 to $2.2 $3 to $3.5 $4.5+

All things considered, you will probably be surprised by the PCGS auction records for the top-quality coins:

  • 1944 MS 68 Mercury dime reached an auction record of $25,300 in 2009
  • 1944 S MS 68 Mercury dime reached an auction record of $11,750 in 2013
  • 1944 D MS 68+ FB Mercury dime reached an auction record of $5,040 in 2019

1944 Dime Grading

1944 Dime Grading

As you have probably known, the 1944 Mercury dime value will directly depend on its condition. The standard grades you can find include:

Uncirculated Mercury dime condition – Such a coin never came into circulation. Therefore, it is fully preserved and the same as in the moment of minting. That makes this dime the most desirable and expensive on the coin market.

1944 Dime value by Hobbizine

Quality 1944 1944 S 1944 D
Good $3.35 $3.35 $3.35
Very good $3.6 $3.6 $3.6
Fine $3.8 $3.8 $3.8
Very fine $4.3 $4.3 $4.3
Extra fine $4.8 $4.8 $4.8
Uncirculated $7.6 $7.6 $7.6
Brilliant uncirculated $29 $29 $24
Brilliant uncirculated FB $76 $57 $38

Extremely fine Mercury dime condition – The dime in this grade appears mostly intact with only slight signs of wear. All of the design details are visible and preserved, making this coin sought among collectors.

Fine Mercury dime condition – After being in circulation for a long, this dime lost most details, including wing feathers and the Liberty’s hair under her cap.

Good Mercury dime condition – Since this coin spent years in circulation, you can expect to see numerous scratching over the Liberty’s face. However, a collector who wants to complete the Mercury dimes set will appreciate such an inexpensive piece.

Summary

One silver 1944 Mercury dime has some value as both silver bullion and a numismatic coin. In other words, it will be worth at least the weight of silver, but many of those coins can reach higher prices as collectibles.

Even though these coins are not particularly expensive, they are an excellent investment and pieces of choice for new collectors on a budget.

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