Mercury Head

The Mercury Dime, or Winged Liberty Head Dime, was introduced in 1916 and struck until 1945. The common name for the series comes from its mistaken association with the Roman messenger god Mercury, who is often depicted wearing winged shoes or a winged hat. The obverse design of the coin actually features an image of Liberty in a winged cap, intended to symbolize liberty of thought. The design was favorably received by the public upon its initial release and remains one of the most popular United States coin series for collectors.