Pre 1964 90% Silver Dimes

The obverse of the 90% Silver Mercury Dime features a left-profile portrait of Winged Liberty. This design features Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap on her head. The resemblance of the Liberty bust lead many Americans to refer to the coin as the Mercury Dime because of the similarity between Liberty and the depictions of the Roman messenger god Mercury.

On the reverse face of 90% Silver Mercury Dime coins is a Roman fasces wrapped in an olive branch. A fasces was carried by Roman lictors and, when used on coins, represents war and justice. The large olive branch represents peace.