1942/1 10C Mercury Dime PCGS AU58 (CAC)

A famous and eagerly collected overdate, this 1942/1 Mercury Dime is a certified PCGS AU58 example further distinguished by CAC approval, a highly desirable near-Mint State representative of one of the best-known varieties in all of American numismatics. The obverse displays Adolph A. Weinman’s celebrated Winged Liberty Head design, with Liberty facing left in a winged cap symbolizing freedom of thought. The legends LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date 1942 are present, with the underlying digit from the 1941 hub visible in the well-known overdate feature. The Philadelphia issue bears no mintmark, as expected. On the reverse, the classic fasces is paired with an olive branch, accompanied by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE DIME, and E PLURIBUS UNUM. Few 20th-century varieties are as instantly recognizable or as widely pursued. At the AU58 level, this piece sits at the threshold of Mint State and offers excellent visual appeal for the grade. The images reveal strong remaining detail throughout Liberty’s portrait and the reverse fasces, with only light friction on the high points consistent with brief circulation. The surfaces show attractive silver-gray coloration with warmer golden and russet peripheral toning, especially around the rims and reverse devices. A pleasing, original appearance is evident, and the CAC endorsement adds another level of confidence in the quality and eye appeal. Within the Mercury dime series, the 1942/1 overdate occupies a special place. Discovered in 1943 and rapidly publicized in the hobby press, it became one of the most famous U.S. die varieties of the 20th century. Collectors have long regarded it as a major variety that transcends specialty interest, drawing demand not only from Mercury dime enthusiasts but also from variety collectors, type collectors, and advanced students of U.S. coinage. While circulated examples are more available than their reputation sometimes suggests, the variety remains a blue-chip issue within the series and a perennial favorite in the marketplace. As always with this issue, collectors should be mindful of altered dates; certified and accurately attributed examples such as this are especially desirable. PCGS reports a population of 164 examples in AU58, with 130 finer at the time of listing. That places this coin in a popular and strategic grade tier: high-end circulated, affordable relative to Mint State examples, yet visually impressive and unquestionably collectible. The CAC sticker further enhances its marketability, as approved examples of this famous overdate are consistently sought by quality-conscious buyers. Though not rare in circulated grades, it is unquestionably one of the key collectible varieties of the Mercury dime series and one of the most liquid and recognizable U.S. overdates. An appealing, original, and properly certified example of the celebrated 1942/1 Mercury Dime, ideal for the advanced Mercury dime set, a major varieties cabinet, or any collection of classic 20th-century United States coinage.