1929-S Doubled Die Obverse, FS-101 MOST FAMOUS
$150 – $750+
The 1929-S DDO FS-101 is the only formally attributed and PCGS-recognized die variety for the entire 1929 Mercury dime series. It is catalogued in the Cherrypickers' Guide as FS-101 with the hub-shift designation (010.3), meaning the working die received a secondary hub impression that was rotated slightly relative to the first, producing visible doubling on selected obverse elements.
The doubling is most pronounced on the date numerals, particularly the second "9," and on the letters of the LIBERTY obverse legend. Under a 10× loupe with good raking light, collectors can see a distinct secondary image offset from the primary. The doubling is not of the mechanical or machine-doubling type — it is true hub doubling, which is what earns the formal FS attribution and collector premium.
Demand is driven by its status as the only catalogued variety in the series, making it a one-of-a-kind variety within a complete Mercury dime set. PCGS values an MS65 example at approximately $400 and an MS65 Full Bands specimen at around $750. Circulated examples grading VF to XF still command a meaningful premium of $50–$150 over standard 1929-S values simply for the FS-101 attribution.
Broadstrike Error DRAMATIC
$75 – $200+
A broadstrike error occurs when the retaining collar — the metal ring that surrounds the planchet during striking to define the coin's final diameter and reeded edge — fails to properly contain the planchet at the moment of die impact. Without the collar's restraint, the metal flows freely outward under die pressure, producing a coin noticeably wider than the standard 17.9 mm diameter with a flat, un-reeded edge where the collar would have shaped it.
On a 1929 Mercury dime broadstrike, the design elements appear spread and somewhat flat, and the planchet may look thinner than normal because metal has migrated outward. The most visually dramatic version is the uncentered broadstrike, where the coin is also shifted slightly off-center, creating an asymmetric spread but with the full design still present on both sides.
Collector interest in broadstrikes is driven by their dramatic visual impact and the relative scarcity of examples that retain good design detail despite the collar failure. An uncentered broadstrike example in About Uncirculated condition has sold for close to $200, as documented by multiple collector sources. The Full Bands designation is theoretically possible on a broadstrike if the original die was fresh, which would push value considerably higher.
Off-Center Strike Error MOST VALUABLE
$100 – $500+
An off-center strike occurs when the planchet is not correctly positioned under the dies at the moment of striking. Instead of the design being centered on the planchet, it is impressed toward one side, leaving a crescent-shaped blank area of unstruck metal on the opposite edge. The degree of offset is expressed as a percentage — a 10% off-center strike shifts the design slightly, while a 50% off-center error leaves half the planchet blank.
The most collectible off-center 1929 dimes retain the date and mint mark (if present) even while showing a significant offset, typically in the 15%–40% range. A 1929-S example graded MS62 with a 15% off-center strike and the Full Bands designation sold in 2005 for over $480, demonstrating how the combination of a strike error and the FB designation amplifies value dramatically above either premium alone.
Off-center strikes require the planchet to have partially missed the feeder mechanism or jumped during transport to the striking chamber. Higher offset percentages generally command more money, but only if the date and mint mark remain visible. An off-center so extreme that it obliterates the date becomes nearly uncollectible despite its dramatic appearance.
Clipped Planchet Error BEST KEPT SECRET
$50 – $175+
A clipped planchet occurs during the blank-cutting stage of coin production, before the planchet ever reaches the striking chamber. When the blanking press punches individual planchet disks from the silver strip, it must advance the strip far enough between each punch that new disks don't overlap holes left by prior punches. If the strip advances too little, the next blank overlaps a prior hole, producing a planchet with a curved "bite" missing from its edge — a curved clip. A straight clip results from the blanking press cutting into the end of a strip.
On a 1929 Mercury dime clipped planchet, the missing section is visible as a crescent-shaped or straight cut in the rim, usually accompanied by a corresponding weakness in the design opposite the clip (the Blakesley effect). The design elements near the clip are often flat or missing entirely because there was insufficient metal in that area to fill the die fully during striking.
Clipped planchet 1929 dimes are well-liked by type collectors of error coins because the clip is easy to explain to non-collectors and dramatically illustrates the minting process. Curved clips tend to command higher premiums than straight clips. Values depend on clip size — a large clip (over 15% of rim circumference) on an otherwise attractive uncirculated example can reach $175 or more in the current market.
Die Crack & Cud Error RAREST
$40 – $300+
Die cracks occur when a coin die — hardened steel under enormous striking pressure — develops fractures during production. As a crack propagates through the die face, it fills with metal from each planchet it strikes, producing a raised, irregular line on the finished coin. Minor die cracks crossing peripheral areas of the design add modest premiums, while major cracks traversing prominent design elements or meeting the rim are significantly more collectible.
A cud is the most dramatic form of die crack: a complete die break where a section of the die face separates entirely, leaving a raised blob of metal at the rim of all coins struck after the break. On a 1929 Mercury dime, a cud at the date area or at LIBERTY would be especially dramatic and desirable. Die cracks found on 1929 dimes tend to run through Liberty's cap or along the legend, indicating dies that were used past their optimal service life before retirement.
The premium for die-crack errors on 1929 Mercury dimes depends heavily on size, location, and visual drama. A minor hairline crack away from key design elements adds $20–$40 over base value. A dramatic cud covering a significant portion of the rim or overlapping the date can command $150–$300 or more. A 2026 Heritage Auctions listing showed a die-crack 1929 dime in MS62 condition realizing $169, confirming active collector demand for dramatic die-state examples in this series.
