[The following excerpt is published courtesy of DLRC Press and its author, David W. Lange. This information was originally published in 2005 in The Complete Guide to Mercury Dimes]

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Special to the Second Edition

The original edition of this book was published in 1993, which now seems a lot longer time ago than it really is. So much has happened in these dozen years that it’s difficult to know where to start.

The Complete Guide to Mercury Dimes was a follow-up effort to a similar book I wrote on Buffalo Nickels published the previous year. Both works were initiated by the late coin dealer David Lawrence Feigenbaum, proprietor of David Lawrence Rare Coins. He had already established a series of Complete Guide books with his own publications exploring the dimes, quarters and halves of 1892-1916. Dave loved the Barber coins, and it was seemingly inevitable that he would be the one to write standard references on these series.

In a conversation with him in 1991, Dave revealed to me that he was seeking authors to write similar volumes on each of the popular USA coin series. When he asked me for my thoughts regarding possible authors, I gave him several names, but we didn’t discuss the matter again for some months. When I then asked him how the project was going, he said he had people lined up to do books on the Seated Liberty coin series, but he was particularly concerned about finding someone for Buffalo Nickels. Impulsively, I told him that I could probably do as good a job with that title as most numismatic writers, and to my surprise he agreed.

Though I’d been a columnist and feature writer in numismatics for several years, I had never written a complete book. This was new territory for me. In addition, I was not then, nor am I now, a specialist in any one USA coin series. I have my favorites, but I’ve always been a generalist who likes to maintain a working knowledge of all series. Nevertheless, my Buffalo Nickel book was good enough for me to segue into a similar reference on Mercury Dimes. Both books were well received, though the revised edition of my Buffalo Nickel book, published in 2000, proved to be vastly superior to the first.

Since 1993 the hobby has lost a good friend in Dave Lawrence, who succumbed to ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, just a few years ago. Son John Feigenbaum has taken over both the coin business and its publishing arm, DLRC Press, and David Lawrence Rare Coins is now a bigger player in the retail market than Dave ever imagined. John was the one who did the layout for the DLRC books, and he now serves as publisher.

The Complete Guide to Mercury Dimes was followed by a similar volume on the Lincoln Cent series, which, due to the extended period covered, was a much longer and more difficult book to prepare. Though published by another company, it is quite compatible with the DLRC books. In addition, I’ve written a few other books since then, a couple of which are awaiting publication as this is written. With this experience came increased confidence, and I was determined to do an improved edition of the Mercury Dime book when the appropriate time arrived. The Complete Guide to Mercury Dimes has now been out of print long enough that those desiring a new edition are probably equal in number to those new to the hobby who have never heard of it at all.

Shortly after the first edition of this title was published, I joined Numismatic Guaranty Corporation as its Director of Research. While that role involves a wide variety of activities, the bottom line is that I’ve had the chance to view a lot more coins than I did previous to writing the first edition. This increased exposure has prompted an expansion of the date-and-mint study of each issue, including the proofs. While there are no “new” Mercury Dimes since 1993, there is a lot more known about them. This is partly the result of an additional twelve years of certified grading and encapsulation, as well as the building and dispersal at auction of several important Mercury Dime collections.

New to this edition is a chapter on the history of collecting Mercury Dimes. Indeed, history is at the core of this book, and the story of this coin’s inception and development has been greatly expanded. This was made possible through time spent performing research at the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland. While many will collect a coin series just for the appeal of the coins themselves, I truly believe that a real appreciation of any series comes only with knowledge of the coins’ history and the ability to place each piece in its cultural and economic context.

My own collection of Mercury Dimes, which included a number of plate coins from this book, was sold intact not long after publication of the first edition. Veteran collectors know all too well that the real fun of collecting is in the hunt. When completion is achieved, disinterest often follows. While I remain interested in all USA coins, as well as most world issues, there was nothing more to add to my set of Mercury Dimes. Nor could I afford to upgrade the About Uncirculated pieces to Mint State.

The passion for collecting remains, however, and I’ve recently assembled a new set of these coins in well worn condition. Building a matched set of problem-free coins, ones having completely original surfaces and similar toning, is quite a challenge, even in the grades of Very Good through Very Fine. Adolph Weinman’s little dime is a simply beautiful design, and it appeals to me in all grades. Worn coins also free one from the worry of preservation, as such pieces are quite safe in most coin albums. Indeed, it was the empty holes of a coin album that beckoned to me as a child, while I searched through every conceivable source of coins just to fill one more. It seems I’ve come full circle with this series, now buying the very same sort of pieces I used to seek from pocket change some 40 years ago.

David W. Lange
Sarasota, Florida
May, 2005