I completed my Mercury dime collection today

[bk]

After thirty seven years of detecting, I finally realized my goal of finding a complete set of Mercury dimes with a metal detector by unearthing the elusive 1916-D.
Ironically this coin was found in one of the first parks that I ever detected.
I was showing a friend how my detector works, and had unplugged my headphones so that he could hear the sounds too. Within a few minutes I had a good solid signal that read 28 on the Minelab Explorer. The depth meter indicated that it was deeper than most of the clad dimes that I was finding there so I told him that it will be a dime and probably will be silver because of the depth.
The photos show the coin shortly after it was found with the dirt still on it.
The dime was found near the tree in the picture.

 

[Dman]

Super find.
Congrats
Dman

 

[Diggincoinz]

SWEET! Nothing like bending over and picking up oh lets say $3000!

 

[High Plains Digger]

The 16-d does seem to be a banner find, but I am really impressed with your complete collection! Now, that is a banner I will vote for. I found the number 2 Merc (21-D) but it wasn't near as nice as your 16D. Just for the heck of it, will you show a photo of your 21D? And do you know how long ago your found it?

To show you how amazing your completion is, we couldn't even complete a collection in the mid 60's when they were common in circulation. At one point, my dad took a part time job counting bus company change. He started by pulling out all the mercs, then went to just the old ones, and in a couple of months had so many, he only collected 45 micro S. But never a 16D. Well done to you.

 

[bk]

Thanks for all the replies and votes for the banner. I feel that almost any dug up key date coin deserves a little extra attention.
After washing off the dirt I could see the telltale hairlines. When the coin came out of the ground it was encased in a ball of hard dirt which, when busted open, probably caused the scratches. If you looked at any of my 1916 no D dimes you would probably see a lot of rubs where a D should have been.
As requested by a few T-neters I am posting pics of the dime after "washing" off the dirt.
I am also posting some of the other better dates that were dug over the years and put into the collection.
I have the other dates recorded as to when they were found but none of them were recent. Some of these coins will probably show some toning because they have been is a safe deposit box for 25 years or more.

 

[donny nj]

Congrats !!! great find!

 

[staydetuned]

uugghh....OK, I'll be the jerk .......first of all, simply fantastic find, one we all dream about!! ........unfortunately, since someone rubbed the dime with dirt still on it you now have all of those nasty hairline scratches on both sides and I really think it was at least a $1,000 mistake.

I knew no one would be able to resist. I keep forgetting we're all in this for the money!

Hey, great find man, and major congrats in detecting the complete collection; that's an amazing feat!

 

[steelheadwill]

That's a rare beauty
Congrats!
Looking forward to seeing you finish with your Seated collection

 

[TORRERO]

uugghh....OK, I'll be the jerk .......first of all, simply fantastic find, one we all dream about!! ........unfortunately, since someone rubbed the dime with dirt still on it you now have all of those nasty hairline scratches on both sides and I really think it was at least a $1,000 mistake.

I knew no one would be able to resist. I keep forgetting we're all in this for the money!

Hey, great find man, and major congrats in detecting the complete collection; that's an amazing feat!

You know this kind of thing happens to us all in this business...
years ago digging around a Library built in the 80's on a College campus, I got a real high signal on my
Fisher CZ 6, knowing it was a coin, and that I was near a recently built building (Campus dated to 1800) I used a screwdriver to locate what I thought would be a clad coin......
But when it came out of the ground, there in my hands was a Seated Liberty Quarter, with the biggest
trench dug right across the front.....

Another coin I got was a 1843 half dime in a church yard... I thought it was play money when I dug it, as I had never seen one before.....
so after rubbing the dirt off, and discovering what I had, I now see the fine scratches from where I cleaned the dirt off......

But since we all have done this to some of our best finds....
Isn't it better to appreciate the fact that these are in our possesions and not in someone Else's ?
and even if we did bu-bu something, we are SO happy we have these things instead of someone else ?

Great find......
I've found many things but not one of these in 30 years...
congratulations.

 

[allen]

congrats on finding such a beautiful coin
and on making the banner !!!

 

[JimBeHuntin']

A lot to congratulate you for - finding a 1916D Merc (Awesome), completeing Merc dime collection with a metal detector (amazing), and of course Making the Banner at Treasurenet ( ) ... GREAT JOB!!!

 

[Bayman]

What a gorgeous coin! I found an 'S' but never a 'D'. Jackpot for you, congrats!

 

[HISPAN]

nice coin ...congrats for the banner !

 

[underarock]

Very nice find. Have you been able to stop smiling about it?

 

[DiggerDave in Pa.]

Very nice find. Have you been able to stop smiling about it?

Nice Merc! Congrats on a Banner find! DD.

 

[High Plains Digger]

Your 21D is stinking gorgeous also. What a great pair! Your other 21 is what my 21d looks like. But, we take what we can get.
Shoot the whole book when you get a chance. But now you are in a bad spot--when you are number one there's no place to go but down. Unless, of course, you set your sights on a SLQ complete dug set. Can you make that commitment?

 

[gleaner1]

Great banner coin, I cant decide what is more striking, the rarity, or the lack of wear. Congrats...

 

[bk]

Your 21D is stinking gorgeous also. What a great pair! Your other 21 is what my 21d looks like. But, we take what we can get.
Shoot the whole book when you get a chance. But now you are in a bad spot--when you are number one there's no place to go but down. Unless, of course, you set your sights on a SLQ complete dug set. Can you make that commitment?

Thanks for the complements. Actually I am only 3 or 4 coins short for a complete set of dug Barber dimes. I found 2 1903-s dimes in exactly the same condition (Fine). I know for sure that I need the 1901-s, and the 1895-O, and I think 2 other s mint coins. I have the 1894-O, and 1896-O.
I found all the silver Roosevelt dimes a long time ago.

 

[birdman]

Wow,congrats on finding the MERC! Outstanding!!.

 

[MKnTenn]

Incredible accomplishment! You must be a dime magnet. Unreal 1916-d dime, one we all have wanted to find. Congratulations, HH

 

[Dug1898]

Congratulations on such a Banner Find, that's an awesome accomplishment! How do you expect to top that? I'm sure you must have thought about finding that 16D many, many times. That just goes to show you that The Secret in getting what you want is Positive Thinking. I just found my 1st Merc, a 1917 just a day ago...I am so envious. Thanks for posting it all.