The Roosevelt Dime

The Roosevelt Dime is a United States coin that was first issued in 1946. It was introduced to honor President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served as the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945.

The decision to create a new dime featuring Roosevelt was made shortly after his death in April 1945. The dime's design was a departure from the previous design, which featured a depiction of Liberty on the obverse (front) and a fasces, an ancient Roman symbol of authority, on the reverse (back). The new design was chosen to honor Roosevelt's leadership during the Great Depression and World War II.

The obverse of the Roosevelt Dime features a left-facing portrait of President Roosevelt, with the inscription "LIBERTY" above his head and the year of minting below. The reverse depicts a torch, an olive branch, and an oak branch, symbolizing liberty, peace, and strength, respectively. The reverse also includes the inscription "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM" (meaning "Out of many, one"), and the denomination "ONE DIME."

The Roosevelt Dime was designed by sculptor John R. Sinnock, who was the Chief Engraver of the United States Mint at the time. The coin has a diameter of 17.91 millimeters and is composed of a 90% silver and 10% copper alloy. From its introduction in 1946 until 1964, the Roosevelt Dime was minted with a silver composition. However, starting in 1965, the coin's composition was changed to a copper-nickel clad, similar to other circulating dimes.

Over the years, there have been some modifications to the design of the Roosevelt Dime. In 1965, the initials "JS" were added to the coin, representing the designer, John Sinnock. In 1996, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the dime, a special reverse design featuring a torch, an olive branch, and an oak branch was issued. This design, known as the "Winged Liberty" or "Mercury Dime" design, was used only in 1996 and is not part of the regular circulating series.

Since its introduction, the Roosevelt Dime has remained in circulation and continues to be minted by the United States Mint. It has become one of the most widely recognized and collected coins in the United States. The dime's design and its association with President Roosevelt make it a popular choice for numismatists and coin collectors.

Here are some key dates and notable varieties of the Roosevelt Dime:

1946: The first year of the Roosevelt Dime series, minted in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco.

1949-S: The 1949-S Roosevelt Dime is considered a key date due to its relatively low mintage of 13.5 million coins. It is sought after by collectors.

1950-D: The 1950-D Roosevelt Dime is another key date with a mintage of 17.3 million coins, making it scarcer compared to other dates in the series.

1955: In 1955, the Philadelphia Mint made a small number of dimes with a doubled die obverse, resulting in a noticeable doubling of the inscriptions and design elements. These are known as the "1955 Doubled Die" dimes and are highly sought after by collectors.

1964: The last year that the Roosevelt Dime was minted with a 90% silver composition. After this, the coin's silver content was reduced to 0%.

1996-W: In 1996, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Roosevelt Dime, a special edition was minted at the West Point Mint with a "W" mint mark. These are known as the "1996-W Roosevelt Dimes" and are highly prized by collectors.

These are just a few of the key dates and varieties of the Roosevelt Dime. Collectors also pay attention to mintmarks, errors, and other minor variations that can add value and interest to a collection.