Roosevelt Dimes — Key Dates, Errors & Complete Collector Guide
1946–Present • Silver & Clad • The $506,250 1975 No S Error
Roosevelt Dime Value Guide
Key Errors and Typical Values by Era
| Issue Type | Years | Composition | Est. Value Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Silver (circulated) | 1946–1964 | 90% Silver | $1.50 – $5 |
| 1949-S | 1949 | 90% Silver | $8 – $80+ |
| Common Clad (circulated) | 1965–present | Cu-Ni Clad | Face value |
| 2009-D (lowest clad mintage) | 2009 | Cu-Ni Clad | $0.50 – $4 |
| 1996-W (special West Point issue) | 1996 | Cu-Ni Clad | $20 – $400+ |
| 1982 No P (business strike error) | 1982 | Cu-Ni Clad | $50 – $300+ |
| 1968 / 1970 / 1983 No S (proof errors) | 1968, 1970, 1983 | Cu-Ni Clad | $1,000 – $38,000+ |
| 1975 No S Proof — The Top Trophy | 1975 | Cu-Ni Clad | $450,000 – $506,250+ |
Origins of the Roosevelt Dime
The Roosevelt Dime debuted in 1946, replacing the Mercury Dime just months after President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death in April 1945. The choice of denomination was deliberate: Roosevelt had been a driving force behind the March of Dimes campaign against polio — the disease that had left him paralyzed — and honoring him on the dime rather than a larger denomination reflected that direct connection. Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock designed the coin, placing Roosevelt's profile on the obverse and a torch flanked by olive and oak branches (symbolizing liberty, peace, and strength) on the reverse. Sinnock's initials "JS" appear at the base of Roosevelt's neck on the obverse.
Unlike the artistically ambitious Mercury Dime it replaced, the Roosevelt Dime was intentionally conservative in design — a memorial coin meant to honor a president, not an experimental showcase. That conservative approach has proven remarkably durable: with only minor composition changes, the design has now been in continuous circulation for nearly 80 years, making it (in its modified form) the longest-running dime design in American history.
The Silver Era (1946–1964)
From the series' 1946 debut through 1964, Roosevelt Dimes were struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, giving each coin 0.07234 troy ounces of pure silver — identical to the standard used on the preceding Mercury Dime. Unlike the earlier dime series, the Roosevelt Dime's silver era produced no dramatic key dates in the traditional sense — mintages were consistently in the tens of millions across all three mints (Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco), reflecting the massive postwar demand for circulating coinage. The 1949-S, with a comparatively lower mintage, is the closest thing this era has to a genuine semi-key, though even it remains modestly priced compared to key dates in earlier dime series.
The silver era ended in 1964, the same year silver was removed from the quarter and half dollar, as rising silver prices threatened to pull circulating coinage out of everyday commerce entirely. The 1964 date, in particular, saw an enormous mintage as the Mint rushed to strike enough silver dimes before the transition — making 1964 Roosevelt Dimes widely available today despite marking the true end of an era.
The 1965 Clad Transition
The Coinage Act of 1965 eliminated silver from the dime (and quarter) entirely, replacing it with a copper-nickel clad composition: outer layers of 75% copper / 25% nickel bonded to a pure copper core, the same "sandwich" structure still used today. This transition means date recognition alone tells you a Roosevelt Dime's baseline bullion status: any dime dated 1964 or earlier is 90% silver and carries real melt value; any dime dated 1965 or later is silver-free clad composition worth face value unless it carries a numismatic premium. Since 1992, the Mint has also struck special 90% silver proof versions of the Roosevelt Dime for collectors (99.9% silver since 2019), sold separately from circulating coinage in proof sets.
In an interesting historical footnote, U.S. Mint officials removed mint marks from all coins struck from 1965 through 1967 — including the Roosevelt Dime — with the stated goal of discouraging speculative coin hoarding during the ongoing coin shortage of the era. Mint marks returned in 1968, and the "P" mint mark for Philadelphia-struck dimes wasn't introduced until 1980, a full 34 years into the series.
Missing-Mintmark Errors — The Real Key Dates
Because Roosevelt Dime mintages are always in the hundreds of millions, the series has no traditional "key dates" in the sense that earlier dime series do. Instead, the genuine rarities in this series are entirely modern mint errors — specifically, five documented missing-mintmark varieties from the clad era, where a mint mark punch was skipped or improperly applied during die preparation. Four of these are proof coin errors (1968 No S, 1970 No S, 1975 No S, and 1983 No S), and one is a business strike error (1982 No P).
By far the most significant is the 1975 No S Proof — only two examples are known to exist, created when a proof die prepared at the Philadelphia Mint and shipped to San Francisco for striking was missing its "S" mint mark punch entirely, a catastrophic quality-control failure that somehow slipped through undetected. One example sold for $506,250 at auction in October 2024, the highest price ever recorded for a modern dime error of any kind. The 1982 No P is comparatively far more attainable — thousands were struck and some still turn up in circulation today, making it one of the few modern-era coin errors an ordinary collector might realistically find by chance.
Key Dates and Notable Issues
1975 No S Proof
1968 No S Proof
1982 No P
1970 & 1983 No S Proofs
1996-W
2009-D
Shop Roosevelt Dimes on eBay
Browse silver-era dates to certified modern error coins — always buy any No-S or No-P error certified given the extreme value and forgery risk involved.
Roosevelt Dime References on Amazon
Where to Buy Roosevelt Dimes
These are the marketplaces and resources used by serious Roosevelt Dime collectors for buying and research.
eBay
eBay — No-Mintmark Errors
JM Bullion
Kitco
Money Metals Exchange
SD Bullion
Silver Gold Bull
FRC Coin Price Guide
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most valuable Roosevelt Dime?
The 1975 No S Proof is the undisputed rarest and most valuable Roosevelt Dime — only two examples are known to exist, created when a proof die shipped from Philadelphia to San Francisco was missing its "S" mint mark punch entirely. One example sold for $506,250 at auction in October 2024, the highest price ever paid for a modern dime error of any kind.
Why doesn't the Roosevelt Dime have traditional key dates like earlier dime series?
Unlike the Mercury, Barber, and Seated Liberty Dimes, Roosevelt Dime mintages have consistently been in the tens or hundreds of millions across every year and mint since 1946 — there was never a low-mintage year comparable to the 1916-D Mercury Dime or 1894-S Barber Dime. Instead, the series' genuine rarities are entirely modern mint errors: specifically, missing-mintmark varieties where a punch was skipped or improperly applied during die preparation.
How can I tell if my Roosevelt Dime is silver?
Any Roosevelt Dime dated 1964 or earlier is 90% silver (0.07234 troy ounces per coin). Any dime dated 1965 or later is copper-nickel clad and contains no silver, unless it's a specially marked silver proof collector issue sold separately in proof sets since 1992. Clad dimes also show a visible copper stripe on the edge, while silver dimes have a solid silver-colored edge.
What are the five missing-mintmark Roosevelt Dime errors?
Five documented varieties exist from the clad era: the 1968, 1970, 1975, and 1983 No S proofs (all struck at San Francisco but missing their mint mark), and the 1982 No P (a Philadelphia business strike missing its mint mark). The 1975 No S is by far the rarest and most valuable, with only two known examples. The 1982 No P is comparatively common and occasionally still turns up in circulation, unlike the four proof errors, which were only ever sold in sealed proof sets.
Why did some Roosevelt Dimes have no mint mark at all from 1965 to 1967?
U.S. Mint officials deliberately removed mint marks from all circulating coins struck between 1965 and 1967 — including the Roosevelt Dime — with the stated goal of discouraging speculative coin hoarding during the era's coin shortage. Mint marks returned starting in 1968. Interestingly, Philadelphia-struck dimes didn't receive a "P" mint mark at all until 1980, more than three decades into the series.
What is a good entry point for collecting Roosevelt Dimes?
Common-date silver Roosevelt Dimes from the 1950s and early 1960s in circulated condition offer an accessible entry point, typically available near silver melt value plus a modest premium. Building a complete date-and-mint set from 1946 through 1964 is achievable for most collectors. For those interested in modern error collecting, the 1982 No P is the most attainable entry into the series' famous missing-mintmark varieties, since it can occasionally still be found in circulation rather than requiring a five- or six-figure purchase.
From the earliest 1792 Half Disme to the modern Roosevelt and Semiquincentennial issues, this book explores the evolution of the dime in remarkable detail.
Features over 1,500 full-color photographs, with close-ups of key varieties, historical images, and detailed enlargements.- Includes detailed retail pricing, auction records, rarity ratings,
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