is it worth it to sell this coin/get it appraised? (liberty head dime)

In My Humble Opinion
1

I got a strange coin as part of my change from lunch today, and when I took a close look, it turned out to be a 1937 liberty head dime. I’ve done a little bit of googling and price ranges for this coin seem to be all over the map; plus, I’m not up on coin collector lingo and don’t know what all the abbreviations mean.

To an untrained eye, the coin appears in good shape. The ridges around the edge are visible, though worn down so that it feels pretty smooth to the touch. The vertical stripes on the column-like thing on the back are visible, though a little worn in some places. The feathers in Mercury’s (?) hair on the front are pretty clear. The coin itself has some grime but no really dirty spots. I can’t tell if this an illusion or not, but it looks like there is a W (or a crown?) to the right of Mercury where modern coins have a D or a P.

So, thoughts? Should I take this someplace reputable to have it appraised/sell it? Any ideas what it’s worth?

2

From the wear you’re describing, it sounds like the coin would be graded as “good” or at best “good to very good.” That’s pretty much the bottom rung for a serious coin collector.

I’m not near a catalog, but I don’t recall any mistakes or rarities with 1937 dimes. However, because it is made of silver, it will have some value higher than 10 cents – maybe a quarter.

3

A 1937 “Mercury” dime is not rare. It a common circulated condition like you describe, it’s worth may be a dollar or $1.50. This is true for all three mints.

By the way, the mint-mark (D or S) is on the back, to the lower left of the fasces.