Truemag

Menu
  • What’s it Worth?
      • US Coin Values WorthU.S. Coin Values
      • 1943-copper-centU.S. Error Coin Values
      • Paper Money Values WorthU.S. Paper Money Values
      • Paper Money Error ValuesU. S. Paper Money Error Values
      • Philippines Coin Values WorthPhilippines Coin Values
    • Close
  • Sell Your Coins
    • Sell Your Coins
    • CoinSite Buyers FAQ
    • Truth in the Coin Shop
    • Should I get my coin collection appraised?
    • Close
  • Gold & Silver
    • U.S. Gold Coins
    • Bullion Gold/Silver
    • Territorial/Fractional Gold
    • Silver
    • U.S. Silver Coins: When They Ended and What They’re Worth
    • Morgan Silver Dollars
    • Close
  • U.S. Coins
    • U.S. Coins & Currency
      • U.S. Cents
      • U.S. Nickels
      • U.S. Dimes, Quarters & Half Dollars
      • U.S. Dollars
      • U.S. Gold Coins
      • Close
    • Exceptional U.S. Coins
    • U.S. Classic Commemoratives & Government Sets
    • History of U.S. Coins
      • The History of U.S. Coins
      • Commemoratives
      • Close
    • United States Paper Money
    • Close
  • World Coins
    • World Coins & Paper Money
    • World Coins – History
    • Selected World Coin Articles
        • North America
          • U.S. Coins & Currency
          • Exceptional U.S. Coins
          • Colonial America
          • Canada
          • Close
        • Europe
          • France
          • Great Britain
          • Spain/ Spanish Colonial/ Latin America
          • Italy/Vatican
          • Germany/Austria
          • Close
        • Australia
        • Asia/Middle East
        • Close
      • Close
    • Close
  • Coin Doc
    • Articles & Opinions
    • Ask the Coin Doc
    • Coin Doc’s Archives
    • Numismatically Speaking
    • General
    • Close
  • Exceptional Coins
    • Exceptional U.S. Coins
    • Close
  • Errors
  • Cleaning Coins
  • Fun Coin Q&A
  • FAQ
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Valuing Coins
    • Coin Grading
    • U.S. Gold Coins
    • United States Paper Money
    • Coins in General
    • Resources
1

What’s on the back of an ordinary dime?

MJJ asks: Please explain the image that appears on the back (tails side) of an ordinary dime. It’s driving me crazy. What are the plants/flowers? why are they there? what is the significance of the torch? Thanks.

The Roosevelt dime’s reverse was an evolution of the Winged Liberty Cap dime (commonly called  the Mercury dime). The Mercury dime design was created just before the United State’s entry into WW I. The reverse design shows the Roman fasces which consists of an executioner’s axe bound to a bundle or rods or sticks. The symbol represented the power of life or death and was a strong, belligerent statement very much like “Don’t tread on me” or “Beware enemies of Liberty”.mercury-roosevelt-dime-reverses

In Ancient Roman times it represented the power to kill mercifully by the axe or slowly and painfully by the rods. Unfortunately, the faces symbol also became the symbol of the Italian Fascists, the Blackshirts, in the 1920’s. Americans seemed to have missed this association and the Mercury dime stayed unchanged until 1945.


When President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away, he was commemorated on the dime and his bust replaced the Winged Liberty motif. It was also an opportunity to eliminate the faces in favor of a Liberty Torch with the bundle of rods making up the base. The vegetation is an olive branch representing peace.

 

Dec 11, 2013coindoc
Bank of Upper Canada token1802 coin from Ceylon
You Might Also Like
 
Nova Constellatio 1000 Mark
 
1865 Sidney Australia gold sovereign
coindoc
9 years ago U.S. Coins & Currency0
The Coindoc's MOST POPULAR
  1. U.S. Coin Values
  2. U.S. Error Coin Values
  3. U. S. Paper Money Error Values
  4. U.S. Paper Money Values
  5. About Us
  6. CoinSite Buyers FAQ
  7. Sell Your Coins
  8. Philippines Coin Values
  9. History of U.S. Coins
Menu
  • U.S. Coin Values
  • Sell Coins
  • U.S. Coin History
  • Exceptional Coins
  • FAQ
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy

 

2023 © CoinSite