History of the Roosevelt Dime
The Roosevelt dime debuted in 1946, months after FDR’s death, honoring the president whose March of Dimes campaign fought polio. Silver examples struck through 1964 are the everyday treasure of pocket-change hunters: each contains 0.0723 ounces of silver and is worth many times face value on metal content alone.
The clad series since 1965 is generally spendable, with a few glamorous exceptions — proof dimes accidentally struck without the S mint mark. The 1975 No-S proof dime is a two-known-examples rarity that has sold for over $450,000, and the 1968 and 1970 No-S proofs bring hundreds to thousands.
The Roosevelt dime was struck from 1946 to today, in silver until 1964 in 90% silver through 1964, copper-nickel clad afterwards. The design is the work of John R. Sinnock. Each coin weighs 2.50 grams (silver) or 2.27 grams (clad). Production took place at Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco.
How much is a Roosevelt dime worth?
Like every collectible coin, the value of a Roosevelt dime comes down to grade, rarity and demand. The ranges below are approximate retail prices collectors pay for problem-free examples — coins that have been cleaned, scratched or holed usually trade well below these figures.
For a live market check, recent sold listings beat out-of-date price guides every time. CoinVault Pro combines Numista catalog data with real eBay sold prices for every coin it recognizes, so you can see what buyers are actually paying this month — not what a book claimed years ago.
- Silver dates (1946–1964), circulated: $1.80–$3 (silver value)
- Silver dates, uncirculated: $3–$8
- 1949-S and 1955 semi-keys, BU: $15–$40
- 1968 / 1970 No-S proofs: $400–$1,500
- 1975 No-S proof: $450,000+
How to identify a genuine Roosevelt Dime
Authentication starts with the basics: weight, diameter, design details and the way the surfaces look. For the Roosevelt dime, check the following:
If anything feels off — the weight is wrong, the details are mushy, or the surfaces look cast rather than struck — get a second opinion before buying or selling. Valuable dates are exactly the coins counterfeiters target most.
- Any dime dated 1964 or earlier is 90% silver — check the edge for a solid silver stripe with no copper core.
- Mint marks moved from the reverse (left of the torch base) to the obverse above the date in 1968.
- No-S proof rarities only exist in proof sets — deep mirror surfaces are part of the diagnostic.
Check your Roosevelt dime with CoinVault Pro
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