1942/41-D Mercury Dime

We should all know that in the Winged Liberty Head or more commonly called The Mercury Dimes, there is one overdate, the 1942/41. The overdate occurred on both the Philadelphia and Denver issues.

The wings in Liberty’s cap are meant to symbolize Liberty of Thought. This series was issued from 1916 until 1945. The change from Mercury to Roosevelt was due to Roosevelt’s death.

On the Philadelphia overdate, the one is quite clear. The 4 is slightly doubled and the 1 is clearly showing to the left of the 2. The Denver issue is more difficult to see.

I guess we can say that even in the early 1940’s Denver has had better quality control. The 4 is doubled but only a little and the 1 barely shows. I enclosed a photo from the Red Book to show the difference.

Please remember that more than 1 die was used to mint the overdate(s) and therefore a number of varieties exist. On my 42/41-D it is barely visible in hand and you can only see it on the coin if you known where and what to look for. My cell just doesn’t work for this. It is graded so hopefully everyone will take NGC word on this.

 

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I got a slightly better photo by placing this in direct sunlight and I blew it up as large as I can get. You can see the overdate on the 4 even with blurred photo caused by enlarging.

 

There is a 42/41 for the Philly and a 42/41 for the Denver.
There may be a few different die stages, but only one Die was used for each mint.

 

I'll be honest with you, Dave..... Up until the time that I joined this site, my reference book was a 1976 Redbook and the only 42/41 in that 77 edition was a Philly.... It wasn't until I was here and saw a post several years back about a Denver 42/41. I was quite surprised and did some research on it..... I am just glad that my Mercury book didn't have a hole for a 42/41-D in it. the Philly was pricey enough on its own!

 

Which Merc dime book do you have? I have a library of coins book with an empty spot for the overdate. One of the last coins I need to complete the set, although I don’t really count the errors/varieties, haha.

 

It is a 1962 Whitman that is barely holding together!

 

nice post. thanks for the pics too

 

The Denver one will cost you more, that’s for sure.

 

Duct tape it Randy. Lol

 

You think that I haven't?

 

Don’t know as I’ve never seen it and you didn’t mention it.

 

@Randy Abercrombie Do you have either of these varieties?

 

Not a Denver mint. Only the Philly.

 

Time to start saving so you can get the Denver issue.

 

Enabler!!

 

Just trying to help my friend, just trying to help.

I don’t collect varieties but this is one variety or should I say two varieties, that I feel is necessary to have.

 

I looked at a few today at a show. thing was they were all mostly gem coins and prices.
Cool variety!

 

Both are a high cost but that D is higher. I’m sure gem condition is outta orbit.

 

I handled so many coins today, most of what I saw slabbed, that I liked, were 65, and above. Almost bought an incredible Washington 66+*. Amazing coin.

The 42/41's I looked at today, you would have to have to be living of a CEO's salary to afford, I was drooling.

 

Sounds right.