Roosevelt Dimes: A Portrait of Resilience and Philanthropy

Roosevelt dimes are 10-cent American coins that have been issued for circulation since 1946. The person on the dime is former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (often shortened to FDR), hence the coin’s nickname.

Another nickname for these coins is “Roosie” or “Rosie” (both pronounced like roh-zee). The Roosevelt dime followed the trend set by the Lincoln cent, Washington quarter, and Jefferson nickel of replacing Liberty on coins with former Presidents.

However, the Roosevelt dime is set apart as the only design that hasn’t significantly changed since 1965

Roosevelt dimes are a staple of beginner coin collectors, but there are also some rare Roosevelt dimes to look for.

In this guide, we’ve employed our years of coin experience and expertise to outline the history, designs, varieties, and values of Roosevelt dimes.

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 2005-P Roosevelt dime | Image credit: US Mint, Public domain

Historical Background

The Winged Liberty (Mercury) design was on the ten-cent dime from 1916 to 1945. Like many coins that now feature former presidents, the person on the dime before Roosevelt wasn’t a real person but a representation of Liberty.

After leading America out of the Great Depression and through World War II, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) died of a stroke in April 1945 — ending the longest US presidential term.

House Representative James Hobson Morrison introduced the bill for a Roosevelt dime on May 3, less than a month after FDR’s death.

A few coins had been in circulation for over 25 years — meaning the US Mint could change the design without Congressional approval — including the Mercury dime.

Pictured above: President Roosevelt's Personal Secretary, Miss Margaret Lehand, opening some of the 30,000 dimes arriving in the White House mail on January 28, 1938, as donations for the Infantile Paralysis Foundation | Image credit: Harris & Ewing Collection at the Library of Congress, Public domain

Why the Dime?

After being diagnosed with polio himself in 1921, FDR founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP) to research polio treatments and vaccines in 1938. Radio star Eddie Cantor coined the name “March of Dimes” for the organization’s fundraising campaign leading up to FDR’s birthday on January 30.

During the campaign, Cantor encouraged his radio listeners to mail the President a dime in support, as “Nearly everyone can send in a dime ... it takes only ten dimes to make a dollar and if a million people send only one dime, the total will be $100,000.” Within less than a week, the White House received $268,000 worth of dimes for donations.

Afterwards, NFIP held an annual “March of Dimes” fundraiser until eventually changing their name in 1976 to the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation.

Since FDR was so integral to the March of Dimes, the ten-cent coin was the obvious choice for redesign.

On May 17, 1945, Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr. told the public that a new Roosevelt dime would be designed and circulated before the year ended. (Funnily enough, House Representative Ralph Hunter Daughton proposed a bill in November identical to Morrison’s after not having noticed the bill had already passed.)

Pictured above: John R. Sinnock at work on plaster model of Roosevelt dime | Image credit: The Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine, March 15, 1946; Public domain

Designing the Roosevelt Dime

US Mint Chief Engraver John Ray Sinnock had already designed the FDR Third Inaugural Medal in 1941, so Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross chose him to design the Roosevelt dime, with help from Assistant Engraver Gilroy Roberts.

Sinnock was the first Chief Engraver in 54 years to redesign a circulating coin — the last being Charles E. Barber’s 1892 series.

Sinnock submitted his first draft of sketches for the dime’s obverse and reverse options to acting Mint Director Leland Howard in October. Howard passed the sketches onto the Commission of Fine Arts, who requested changes to both sides but particularly the Roosevelt bust.

Sinnock met with CFA sculptor Lee Lawrie for advice, then submitted a new obverse sketch to Ross. Ross sent pictures to the CFA, who rejected it again and proposed having a competition among other artists instead.

Wanting to have the redesign ready before the March of Dimes in January 1946, Ross dismissed the competition idea.

When shown the models in late December, Treasury Secretary Fred Vinson also didn’t like the obverse. Sinnock got advice from Lawrie again, switched some elements around, and finally got his third draft approved on January 8, 1946 — just in the nick of time.

Initial Release

The Philadelphia Mint struck the first Roosevelt dimes on January 19, 1946. The coins were first released for circulation on January 30, FDR’s birthday.

The Roosevelt dime spurred two controversies after its release: one of communism and one of plagiarism.

Pictured above: Zoom-in of "JS" initials (for the coin's designer John Sinnock) on obverse of 2005-P Roosevelt dime

First Controversy: Communism

The first controversy came from rumors that John Sinnock’s “JS” initials on the coin actually stood for Russian Communist dictator Joseph Stalin, placed there by a Communist infiltrator.

Similar rumors spread the next year — that Sinnock’s “JRS” initials on the new Franklin half dollar were actually for Stalin — but the Mint and Treasury debunked both.

Second Controversy: Plagiarism

The second and longer lasting controversy is about plagiarism.

Sinnock was accused of plagiarizing African-American sculptor Selma Burke’s 1944 bronze bas relief FDR portrait (and sketches) when designing the dime’s obverse. The mint denied the allegations, but the racially charged controversy has remained alive.

Furthermore, the New York Times published an obituary of Marcel Sternberger in 1956 that claimed Sinnock referenced Sternberger’s 1936 photograph of FDR for the dime.

Changes Over Time

The composition of circulating Roosevelt dimes (like other silver coins) changed from silver to cupronickel with the passage of the Coinage Act of 1965.

Silver Roosevelt dimes weren’t minted for circulation after 1964, but some Roosevelt dimes in collectible varieties — like proof and uncirculated — have been minted from silver since 1992.

The annual Silver Proof Sets (and other collector’s issues) include dimes made from 90% silver (1992 to 2019) or 99.9% silver (2019 to present).

Modern Editions

The West Point Mint struck dimes for circulation sporadically to help out the other branches in the 1980s but never with the “W” mint mark. The first “W” mint mark on a Roosevelt dime was on the 1996-W issue, only included in the 1996 Mint Sets to celebrate the Roosevelt dime’s 50th anniversary.

The West Point and Philadelphia Mints also struck commemorative silver Roosevelt dimes in 2015 for inclusion in a set commemorating the 75th anniversary of March of Dimes, alongside the main March of Dimes Silver Dollar.

Some members of Congress, notably Indiana Rep. Mark Souder, proposed replacing the Roosevelt dime with a Ronald Reagan portrait in 2003; however, Nancy Reagan was opposed to it, so Souder ended the push.

Lastly, the Roosevelt dime will have its first major redesign since 1965 when its reverse is changed in 2026 to celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary), according to the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020.

Pictured above: Obverse of 1996-W Roosevelt dime | Image credit: Professional Coin Grading Service, Public domain

Specifications & Types of Roosevelt Dimes

First, a quick overview of the Roosevelt dime specs:

• Weight: Silver – 2.5 g (0.088 oz; 0.07234 troy oz silver); Clad – 2.268 g (0.08 oz)

• Diameter: 17.91 mm (0.705 in)

• Thickness: 1.35 mm (0.05 in)

• Composition: Silver (90% silver & 10% copper; 0.088 troy oz of silver) — 1946-1964 for circulated, 1992-2018 for collector’s issues; “Clad” of pure copper core sandwiched in cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) outer layer — 1965 to Date for circulated, 1968 to Date for some collector’s issues; Fine Silver (99.9% silver; 0.082 troy oz of silver) — 2019 to Date for some collector’s issues

• Edge: Reeded

Originally, Sinnock designed the coin to have the highest relief possible for a circulation-strike dime, giving it a “true sculptural quality,” according to David Lange’s article in The Numismatist from November 1999.

The mint slightly changed the dies for the clad coins, but the changes from 1981 on were criticized — Lange called the shallower relief and smaller design “flat and lifeless.”

Regardless, the design maintains its classic charm and meaningful symbolism.

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 1964-D Roosevelt dime with "D" mint mark on obverse | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Design and Symbolism

The design elements on the Franklin D. Roosevelt dime are steeped in symbolism emblematic of American culture and FDR’s legacy in the 1940s:

• Torch: Liberty

• Olive Branch: Peace

• Oak Branch: Strength

Though FDR didn’t live to see the end of WWII, he helped the Allies toward victory after bringing the US out of the Great Depression, making these symbols even more emblematic of his significance.

Now let’s see how those elements were arranged.

Obverse Design

The Roosevelt dime obverse (heads side) features a bust of Franklin D. Roosevelt facing left. The word “LIBERTY” is along the left edge, while “IN GOD WE TRUST” is at the bottom left.

The designer’s initials “JS” are at the neck truncation, left of the mintage year. Dimes minted since 1968 (or since 1980 from Philadelphia) have a mint mark above the mintage year.

No major changes have been done to the obverse design, but some adjustments made in 2000 included making the head of Roosevelt slightly smaller so the inscriptions could be brought inward — this helped protect the details from being worn away.

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 1970-D Roosevelt dime circulation error coin with "Reverse of 1968" graded MS68 by PCGS | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Reverse Design

The reverse (tails side) of the Roosevelt dime features a centered torch behind an olive branch to the left and oak branch to the right.

The phrase “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is inscribed across, split up by the bottom branches and torch base. Along the top is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” while “ONE DIME” is along the bottom, separated by a dot on either side.

Dimes minted between 1946 and 1964 from San Francisco or Denver have their respective mint mark to the left of the torch base.

A notable variation is the “Reverse of 1968” — the result of a new die hub being created in 1968 for dime proofs. Most noticeably, the torch flames were stronger with two defining grooves in them.

The Reverse of 1968 design was applied to circulation strikes from 1971 to 1980. However, numismatists later discovered some 1969-P, 1970-P, and 1970-D circulation dimes were actually error coins, stamped on one side with the Reverse of 1968 proof die.

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 2015-W Roosevelt dime proof with Deep Cameo (DCAM) grading designation and "W" mint mark| Image credit: Professional Coin Grading Service, Public domain

Minting and Production

Since debuting in 1946, the total mintage of Roosevelt dimes is over 11.3 quadrillion — and that’s just the circulated issues.

Three mints have produced circulated Roosevelt dimes, denoted by their mint mark:

• “D” — Denver Mint

• “S” — San Francisco Mint

• None (1946-1979) or “P” (1980 on) — Philadelphia Mint

Speaking of, where is the mint mark on a dime? For Roosevelt dimes, it depends on the era:

• 1946-1964: On reverse, to the left of the torch base

• 1965-1967: No mint marks

• 1968-Present: On obverse, above the mintage year on the bottom right

The San Francisco Mint only produced circulated dimes through 1955; it started taking over proof coinage (including dime proofs) in 1968.

Since 1968, Roosevelt dime proofs have only come from San Francisco, with the exception of the 2015-P silver reverse proof and 2015-W silver proof (from West Point Mint).

Additionally, dimes with finishes between circulated and proof include the 1965 to 1967 Special Mint Set (SMS) issues and the 2005 to 2010 Satin Finish dimes produced for annual US Mint Sets.

Back to mintage, the highest circulated mintage Roosevelt dime issue is the 1967-P at over 2.2 billion. The lowest circulated mintage issue is 1955-P at 12,450,181.

Pictured above: Reverse of 1984-P Roosevelt dime graded MS 66 FT with points of interest for Full Torch (FT) designation circled in red | Image credit: Numismatic Guaranty Company

Collecting and Grading

How much is a Roosevelt dime worth today? We’ll go over all the factors later, but a huge factor in Roosevelt dime value is its condition.

Condition is typically given as a grade by a professional third-party service like Professional Coin Grading Services (PCGS) or Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC).

Roosevelt Dime Grades

Different coin grading systems exist, but the general Roosevelt dime grade meanings are:

1. Uncirculated: Never circulated & properly stored; Looks like it did the day it was minted

2. Mint State (MS): Like Uncirculated but with sub-grades from 60 to 70 for many visible marks to flawless, respectively

3. Specimen (SP): Definition varies among grading agencies, but generally between a Mint State and Proof grade; Used for 1964-1967 Special Mint Strike (SMS), 2005-2010 Satin Finish, and 2017 Enhanced Uncirculated Roosevelt dimes

4. Proof (PR or PF): Struck as a proof coin; Sub-grades from 60 to 70 just like Mint State; Three subtypes on Roosevelt dimes:

   1. Standard Proof: Background (field) isn’t highly reflective

   2. Cameo (CAM): Rarer; Background highly reflective plus a) light to moderate frosting on obverse & reverse, b) not frosted, or c) frosted on only one side

   3. Deep/Ultra Cameo (DCAM or UCAM): Rarest; Background highly reflective plus highly & evenly frosted obverse & reverse

5. Prooflike (PL): Coins struck & handled for circulation but with a similar brilliant shine to proof coins; Occasionally with Full Bands / Full Torch (e.g. MS67FB PL or MS67FT PL)

6. About Uncirculated (AU): Very minor wear on high points of design from brief circulation, well-preserved surfaces, near-complete mint luster; Sub-grades from 50 to 58

7. Extremely Fine (EF or XF): Complete details, light wear on high points; Sub-grades 40 & 45

8. Very Fine (VF): Moderate to complete details, wear on high points; Sub-grades 20 to 35

9. Fine (F): 50 percent or less of detail flat, visible to sharp letters & digits; Sub-grades 12 & 15

10. Very Good (VG): Wear throughout, letters & digits soft but readable; Sub-grades 8 & 10

11. Good (G): Outer letters & digits full to slightly worn, slightly worn to sharp rims; Sub-grades 4 & 6

12. About Good (AG-3): Mostly readable letters & digits, worn rims

13. Fair (FR-2): Some visible details, traces of outer letters, flat

14. Poor (PO-1): Only date, mint mark, and year identifiable

Another grading designation you’ll see for Roosevelt dimes is “FB” or “FT.”

Pictured above: Close-up of two 1955-S Roosevelt dimes, one with Full Bands designation (left) and one without Full Bands (right) | Image credit: PCGS TrueView, Free use

Strike Quality (Full Bands / Full Torch)

An additional grading factor for Roosevelt dimes is how sharply the coin was struck.

The most sharply struck examples have “Full Bands” (from PCGS) or “Full Torch” (from NGC) designation — shortened to “FB” or “FT” after their initial grade (e.g. MS68 FB or MS 68 FT).

This designation refers to the horizontal bands at the base of the reverse torch. PCGS defines Full Bands (FB) as:

“Roosevelt dimes that grade MS60 or better and show full separation of the upper and lower horizontal bands of the torch on the reverse... must also show no significant cuts or marks across the horizontal bands.”

Similarly, NGC looks at the bands at the bottom and top of the torch, plus the torch’s vertical bands. Their rules for Full Torch (FT) are that “both pairs of these bands must show full separation, and the vertical lines of the torch must be defined.”

Roosevelt dimes worth money are often FB or FT. The price of a complete set with FB/FT is generally over 5 times higher than a complete set without FB/FT.

The rarest Roosevelt dime issue with FB/FT is probably 1949-S, with an estimated 75-100 known with the FB/FT designation. Another rare FB/FT issue is 1969-P, with only 13 currently graded by PCGS.

Pictured above: Comparison of Type 1 vs Type 2 mint mark on 1979-S Roosevelt dime DCAM proofs | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Proof Roosevelt Dimes

Roosevelt dime proof coins started in 1950, with clad proofs starting in 1968. The only years without any Roosevelt dime proofs were 1965 to 1967, when the Mint only made Special Mint Set (SMS) issues for collectors.

Some limited edition Roosevelt dimes have been minted as reverse proofs, where the background is frosted and the foreground is mirror-like.

The 1979-S and 1981-S Roosevelt dime proofs have two types of mint marks:

1. Type 1 Mint Mark (1979): AKA “Filled S”; Curves of “S” are more squished and blob-like

2. Type 2 Mint Mark (1979): More valuable; AKA “Clear S”; Inner curves of “S” don’t touch each other & ends are bulbous

Pictured above: Type 1 vs Type 2 mint marks on 1981-S Roosevelt dime DCAM proofs | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

1. Type 1 Mint Mark (1981): Same as 1979 Type 2 Mint Mark; AKA “Worn S”; More common; Open space between top & center and center & bottom of “S”, plus top of “S” is rounded

2. Type 2 Mint Mark (1981): More valuable; AKA “Flat S”; The “S” ends are bulbous and top of “S” is flat

The lowest proof mintage issue was 1950-P at 51,386. The highest proof mintage issue was 1987-S at 4,227,728.

Key Dates and Varieties

In addition to condition/grading, a Roosevelt dime’s value also relies on:

• Silver Content / Spot Price: If your dime contains silver, it will carry a base value for its silver content. You can check the current spot price of silver here and multiply it by the troy oz of silver in the dime (listed in the Specifications section earlier).

• Rarity: Issues with low mintages (fewer were struck) or low survival (fewer are still around today) are more valuable. Rarity can also mean an issue that’s rarely found in high grades.

• Mint Errors: Unintentional errors, especially if rare or dramatic, can be particularly valuable.

• Demand: The current popularity of Roosevelt dimes (or particular issues) fluctuates, so their market value fluctuates.

With those in mind, we’ll break down the important Roosevelt dime errors and varieties to know, starting with key dates.

Key Dates

The Roosevelt dime key dates can be split into the silver (1946-1964) and clad (1965 to date) eras.

The silver circulated dime key dates include:

• 1949-P: One graded MS68 FB sold for $13,200 in 2018

• 1946-P: One graded MS68 FB sold for $10,869 in 2015

• 1947-S: Worth $3,000-$10,000 in MS-68 FB

• 1949-S: Worth up to $7,500 in MS68 FB

• 1953-P & 1954-P: Both worth up to $10,000 in MS68 FB

• 1961-D: One graded MS67 FB sold for $5,288 in 2012

The clad circulated dime key dates include:

• 1969-P: Lowest clad mintage and very rare (~18 known) with Full Torch/Full Bands; Worth up to $2,600 in MS67 FB

• 1996-W: First dime with “W” mint mark, low mintage, and only available in US Mint Sets; Worth up to $425 in MS69

• 1999-D: Rare with Full Torch/Full Bands; Worth up to $2,150 in MS69 FB

• 1982-P: Rare with Full Torch/Full Bands; Worth up to $3,000 in MS67 FB

• 1983-P: Rare with Full Torch/Full Bands; Worth around $1,750 in MS67 FB

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 1968-P Prooflike Roosevelt dime, graded MS67PL by PCGS | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Prooflike & Specimen Strikes

Only six issues in the PCGS database have been found with a Prooflike grading: 1947-S, 1948-S, 1951-S, 1968-P, 2016-D, and 2019-D.

Among these, the most valuable is 1968-P (pictured above), worth up to $3,500. Two also have FB designations: 1948-S and 2016-D — one 1948-S FB PL dime sold for $950 in 2021.

Moving onto Roosevelt dimes with Specimen (SP) grades.

Only one issue is silver: the 1964 SMS Roosevelt dime — it’s unclear why any were made, since the SMS issues started in 1965. That said, these 1964 SMS dimes are worth $4,000 to $20,000 each!

Among the clad specimens, the 1965 to 1967 SMS dimes start at $2 or $3, but go up to $2,750 if CAM and $13,750 (for the 1967 SMS) if DCAM.

Among the 2005-2010 Satin Finish dimes, the most valuable are the 2005-D, worth up to $2,600 if SP-70, and the 2007-P, worth up to $2,650 if SP-70 FB.

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 1946-S Roosevelt dime with Sans Serif Mint Mark error, graded XF40 by PCGS | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Errors

Since most Roosevelt dime issues have relatively high mintages, many collectors look for errors instead.

Among the Roosevelt dime error list, the most valuable circulated issues are:

• 1982-P No Mint Mark (Strong): Worth up to $2,500

• 1970-P Reverse of 68: Worth up to $3,000 with FB designation

• 1969 Reverse of 68: Worth up to $1,200 with FB designation

• 1966 “5” on Cheek SMS: Worth up to $700

• 1946-S Sans Serif Mint Mark: Worth up to $1,500 with FB designation

• 1946-S/S DDR & RPM (Doubled Die Reverse & Repunched Mint Mark): Worth up to $2,800 with FB

• 1964-D DDR (Doubled Die Reverse): Worth up to $1,600 with FB

• 1946-P DDO (Doubled Die Obverse): Worth up to $1,150

• 1946-D/D RPM (Repunched Mint Mark): Worth up to $1,000 with FB

The most valuable Roosevelt dime proof error coins are all missing their “S” mint marks:

• 1968 No S: Only ~12 known & first error proof struck without “S” mint mark; Worth $11,500 to $57,500

• 1975 No S: Only 2-5 known; Worth $350,000 to $525,000 if PR-66 or higher

• 1970 No S: Worth $600 to $3,600

• 1983 No S: Worth $550 to $6,000

Since the mintages of most Roosevelt dimes are high, beginners can find one coin from every issue without trouble. The error coins and key dates listed above offer an extra challenge and value boost for those seeking out rare Roosevelt dimes.

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 2018-S reverse proof graded PR-70 by PCGS, minted for 50th Anniversary | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Honor the Legacy of FDR with Roosevelt Dimes!

Few American presidents have been as beloved and left as lasting of an impact on American society as Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Roosevelt dime is proof that he remains beloved today for his work toward equality, prosperity, and democracy.

Whether you’re seeking out rare Roosevelt dimes or starting a complete set, you’ve come to the right place to find competitive prices on the coins you need.

We’ll leave you with Roosevelt’s inspiring words that he never got to say, as it was prepared for the day after his death: “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.”

Buy Roosevelt dimes today!

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