[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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MINTAGE: 10,450,000 (Ranking 30/77)
POPULAR VARIETIES: There are no significant varieties for this issue, but a few minor die-state features have been observed. A die crack may be found through the lower left portion of the wreath.
The mintmark is often very highly placed relative to later dates (photo). This is true also for 1917-S dimes coined with reverse dies leftover from the 1916 delivery. While not a true variety, mechanical or strike doubling is known (photo).
RARITY: Most that are seen grade About Good through Very Good, or else grade About Uncirculated. The former were in circulation as long as forty-five years, while the latter are mishandled coins set aside by the general public at the time of issue. Coins grading Fine through Extremely Fine are moderately scarce, as are ones in true Mint State. Fully struck gems are elusive. Just about two dozen 1916-S dimes have been certified above MS-66.
COMMENTS: An overall weakness of strike in the central portions of both obverse and reverse characterizes this issue. Particularly affected by such weakness is the upper half of the lower diagonal band. This band is directly opposite the highest point of relief on the obverse, and the resulting displacement of metal during striking is the cause of this specific pattern of weakness, which is seen for many dimes, particularly those coined at the San Francisco Mint.
Textured fields with pleasing luster are the norm for 1916-S, as is a very small mintmark tucked up close between the olive branch and its lowermost leaf (photo). Within the Mercury Dime series, this style of mintmark is exclusive to the 1916-S mintage and a portion of the 1917-S dimes.
A bit of reading through old hobby publications reveals that until the mid-1940s this date was valued at less in Uncirculated condition than its Philadelphia Mint counterpart. Since it is clearly scarcer today, the reason for this transposed pricing must lie in small hoards of the Philadelphia Mint issue that had been held back from the market until that time.
