Roosevelt Dimes: Silver and Clad Eras

The Modern Dime

The Roosevelt dime, designed by John R. Sinnock, was introduced in 1946 to honor President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who died in April 1945. Roosevelt's connection to the March of Dimes (the polio charity) made the dime a fitting denomination for his memorial.

Silver Era (1946–1964)

Roosevelt dimes from 1946 through 1964 are struck in 90% silver (10% copper), containing 0.0723 troy ounces of silver per coin. Most dates are common, but several stand out:

• 1949-S — Lower mintage. $5+ in MS-65.
• 1950-S — Key date for the series. Low mintage (20.4M). $8+ in MS-65.
• 1952-S — Semi-key date. $4+ in MS-65.
• 1955 — Lower Philadelphia mintage. Semi-key.
• 1964 — The last silver dime. Massive mintage as the public hoarded silver coins before the switch to clad.

Clad Era (1965–present)

Starting in 1965, Roosevelt dimes were struck in copper-nickel clad (outer layers of 75% copper/25% nickel bonded to a pure copper core). The silver was removed due to rising silver prices making coins worth more melted than spent.

Notable clad-era coins:

• 1965–1967 — No mint marks were used during the transition period.
• 1968 — Mint marks returned, now placed on the obverse (previously on the reverse).
• 1975 No S Proof — A famous error. Two proof dimes were struck without the S mint mark. Worth $300,000+.
• 1982 No P — Philadelphia dimes struck without the P mint mark (which had been added in 1980). Worth $50+ in MS-63.
• 1996-W — Special West Point issue included in 1996 Mint Sets. The only W-mint Roosevelt dime. $15+ in MS-67.

Full Torch (FT) Designation

The torch on the reverse should show fully separated, complete horizontal bands across both the torch and the vertical flame lines. Full Torch (FT) examples — also called Full Bands by some collectors — carry premiums for silver-era dates where strong strikes are scarce.

Roosevelt Dime Proofs

Proof Roosevelt dimes were struck at Philadelphia (1950–1964), San Francisco (1968–present), and West Point (select years):

• 1950–1964 silver proofs — Affordable ($5–$20 in PF-65). Cameo and Deep Cameo examples from the 1950s carry premiums.
• 1968–present clad proofs — Very affordable ($2–$5 in PF-69).
• 1992–present silver proofs — Struck in 90% silver for Silver Proof Sets. $5–$15 in PF-69 DCAM.

Collecting Strategies

• Complete date and mint set — One of the most affordable US coin sets. Silver dates (1946–1964) run $100–$200 in circulated grades. Clad dates are face value.
• Silver dimes only — Popular for both collecting and silver stacking. $2–$3 per coin at melt value.
• Proof set — A complete proof set (1950–present) is achievable for $500–$1,000.
• Varieties and errors — Roosevelt dimes have numerous minor varieties. The 1982 No P is the most accessible major error.

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