"ONE DIME" depicts a Roman fasces

http://dboitnott.home.mindspring.com/Articles/mercury.html

>>The reverse design in addition to the statutory requirements "United States of America", "E Pluribus Unum", and the denomination "ONE DIME" depicts a Roman fasces. Walter Breen in his Encyclopedia gives an excellent interpretation of the fasces. The fasces consist of an executioner’s axe bound with a group of rods. In Roman terms this symbolized the states power to mercifully kill by the blade or to mercilessly kill by the rod. Breen states this was "clearly an updated ‘Don’t tread on me’: something like ‘The USA can instantly punish with any penalty up to and including death, therefore beware, enemies of liberty!’" On the eve of World War I, If this is the case is it not conceivable that "Mercury" on the obverse veiled as Liberty is the Roman messenger delivering the Roman message to the world? Whoa, wait a second before you criticize this thought, remember this coin supposedly symbolizes freedom of thought. The design is both artistic and mysterious making it interesting on many levels and gives the collector much to think about.
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