The 1966 Roosevelt Dime, Rare and Unique
Find a 1966 dime? Pick it up, and look closely. The fascinating thing about coin collecting is a simple detail can make an ordinary coin worth far more than its face value.
There's no better example of this in American coinage than the 1966 Roosevelt dime.
Two major factors make the 1966 dime unique.
1966 marked the second year after the U.S. Mint moved on from using 90% pure silver in dime mintage.
1966 dimes are the last year with no mint mark on the coin.
Because of these two details, 1966 Roosevelt dimes, especially those with errors, can be worth a lot more than ten cents.
Typically, a coin with no mintmark indicates it was struck at the Philadelphia Mint. But what's unique about the 1966 dime, (along with the 1965 dime) is that it has no mintmark, even though it was struck at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mint.
History of the U.S. Dime
By 1946, the U.S. Mercury dime had been in circulation for 30 years. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who notably suffered from polio, raised funds to help find a cure for the disease in 1938.
At one of his fundraisers, entertainer Eddie Cantor joked that Americans should send dimes directly to the President.
A 1942 Mercury Dime, the ten-cent coin struck at the U.S. Mint from 1916 – 1945. Also called the "Winged Liberty Head Dime."
The public didn't get the joke, and that was a good thing because Americans sent over 2.6 million dimes FDR's way.
The effort was called the "March of Dimes," and the President used that name for the organization he founded that still exists today.
"Winged Liberty Head Dime"
Roosevelt died in April 1945. To honor the late President, legislators asked that the Mercury dime be replaced with a US coin featuring FDR's profile.
Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr. agreed. White House Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock was commissioned to design new silver dimes for release by the end of the year.
The First Roosevelt Dime
Sinnock's original design for the 10-cent piece was not met with acclaim.
Commission members objected to most of Sinnock's sketches for the obverse of the coin. He tried everything from scrolls of the Four Freedoms and the goddess Liberty to the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. He even tried a hand holding a torch.
The commission chairman further stated that Roosevelt's bust needed "more dignity."
Sinnock's Design
Sinnock went back to the drawing board and finally settled on a design that everyone agreed with. The Roosevelt dime was first struck on January 19, 1946, and released into circulation 11 days later to coincide with Roosevelt's birthday.
But the controversy didn't stop there. Some conspiracy theorists believed John Sinnock had telegraphed his support of Communism by chiseling the letters "JS" into the 10-cent pieces. Critics accused Sinnock of noting Joseph Stalin's initails "J" and "S" on the coin.
Sinnock's plausible defense was that they were his own initials, which he used to "sign" the coin.
The 1964 Roosevelt Dime with John Sinnock's initials "JS."
1966 Roosevelt Dime Design
Some critics also suggested Sinnock had ripped off another artist for the design of FDR's head.
Sculptor Selma Burke had made a plaque featuring the profile of the left side of Roosevelt's face. Burke maintained until the day she died that Sinnock had stolen her design.
Of course, this can't be confirmed today, but it's known that Roosevelt had posed for both Sinnock and Burke and that there are slight but noticeable differences between the two.
First Iteration Dime Design
The first iteration of pure silver Roosevelt dimes, which remained in circulation through 1964, had 90% silver content with a 10% mixture of copper.
This composition was ordered changed with the Coinage Act of 1965, spurred by a coin shortage and an increase in the value of silver.
From that point forward, coins were plated with an outer layer of copper-nickel (75% to 25%, respectively) over a pure copper core.
The rising price of silver played a significant role in coin compositions. The silver content of quarters and dimes were altered, and other silver coins such as the Kennedy half dollars were reduced from 90% silver to 40%.
A Brief History of the 1966 Roosevelt Dime
Minting the 1966 Roosevelt Dime
This resulted in the 1966 Roosevelt dime. For the first two years of dime minting after the Coin Act, 1965 and 1966, the new dime did not have a mark to indicate the United States mint where it had been manufactured (which was either Philadelphia, Denver, or San Francisco).
For some reason, the U.S. Mint feared that coin enthusiasts would hoard the new dime in hopes that the shortage would boost its value. It was believed that deleting the mint stamp would stave off those scavengers.
The mint stamp returned to the dime in 1968 and is still used in dime minting today.
More than 1.3 billion circulation strikes of the 1966 Roosevelt dimes with no mint marks were produced. Even the Special Mint Set production topped 2 million.
Engraving on the 1966 Roosevelt Dime
The obverse of the 1966-D Roosevelt dime features Sinnock's portrait of FDR in precise detail, with the barest hint of a smile and hopeful eyes chiseled onto his face.
The word "LIBERTY" is inscribed in an arc around the front of his face, with the words "IN GOD WE TRUST" appearing beneath his chin. The 1966 date stamp and the initials "JS" appear under the President's neck.
1966 Roosevelt One Dime
On the reverse of the coin, you'll see a single-lit torch adorned by branches on both sides, the phrase "E PLURIBUS UNUM" cross-cutting the picture.
The words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" appear in an arc on top of the coin, the denomination "ONE DIME" in slightly larger letters around the bottom. A dot on either side separates the phrases.
The edge of the dime is reeded or covered with small notch-like engravings. The measurement of a dime is about 17.9 millimeters in diameter, and the weight of a dime is about 2.27 grams. The metal-clad materials used to make it cost about two cents.
1966 Roosevelt Dime Errors
As with all coins still in circulation, valuable dimes are typically defined by errors or misprints committed during the minting process.
While these coins are rare, they are still dispersed among the general public, so it's always worth looking through your piggy banks or coin drawers to find an imperfect one.
Here's a list of the most common 1966 error coins to watch out for –
Misplaced Die
Double-Die
Clipped Planchet
Missing Clad
Off Center Strike
1966 Dime Missing Letters
Some of the most common printing errors on the 1966 Roosevelt dime include missing letters in some phrases adorning the coin's edge.
There are a few instances of a missing "I" and "W" in the phrase "IN GOD WE TRUST," and a few cases of the word "LIBERTY" with a missing "Y" at the end.
1966 Dime Misplaced Die
A notable flaw with the 1966 Roosevelt dime involves a misplaced die. Coins are typically made using two dies to cast images on either side of the metal.
In one run, the die was misaligned, resulting in the appearance of the number "5" in the middle of Roosevelt's cheek.
1966 error dime with misplaced die
1966 Roosevelt dimes made with misplaced die markers are some of the most coveted, and can be worth over $2,000 at certain auction houses.
The "5" must be clear and distinguishable. Some novice rare coin collectors take extreme close-ups of FDR's face to find something that looks like it could be a "5" if you view it in the right light.
But with a truly misplaced die dime, you will see a very clear "5."
1966 Dime Double-Died
Some 1966 Roosevelt coins were double-died, an affliction that strikes many U.S. denominations of coinage.
Double-die coins show a clear, duplicated image or portions of an image, offset so that it looks like it was double-printed. Many double-dies in the text are clearly discernible, such as the word LIBERTY doubled over on itself.
Value of a Double-Die 1966 Dime
Double-die Roosevelt dimes have a wide range of potential value, especially if the double-die effect is pronounced and visible.
Dimes with missing clad layers have been known to sell for $600 at auction houses. Dimes with the planchet errors described above could be worth marginally more.
1966 Dime Clipped Planchet
A clipped planchet is a manufacturing flaw in which a coin appears to have had a small bite taken out of the edge. Roosevelt dimes with clipped planchets are also more elliptical.
A 1966 Roosevelt dime with a clipped planchet may be worth around $30.
1966 Dime featuring a Clipped Planchet
1966 Dime Missing Clad
An extremely rare and valuable U.S. Dime error happens when one of the clad layers is simply missing altogether. This causes the dime to weigh less than the 2.27-gram standard.
1966 Dime Off-Center Strike
Some dimes suffered from off-center strikes, resulting in a blank planchet and a backward-pressed image.
Off-center strikes could be worth between $10 and $20.
What Is the Numismatic Value of the 1966 Roosevelt Dime?
A typical 1966 Roosevelt dime in average condition, with no mint stamp, and no surface or printing errors is worth face value.
You may be able to find a certified mint state 1966 Roosevelt dime starting at $5 USD. Since 1966 was the second year the dime was not made with silver content, or any other bullion, the melt value is low.
It's the error coin that really increases the value. Especially if it's an uncirculated mint error graded by PCGS in Brilliant Uncirculated Condition, or BU.
1966 Roosevelt Dime – Regular Strike.
Value of 1966 Roosevelt Dime Proof Sets
Dimes classified as "proof strikes" were double-stamped to ensure a crisp, sharp image — essentially the perfect US dime with high gloss and sharp contrast.
The U.S. Mint makes limited numbers of proof strike coins, so by definition, they're rarer and may have more value.
Uncirculated 1966 Roosevelt dimes, unpolished, don't have the same mirror-like finish as the ultra-rare proof strikes. Because of coin shortage fears, the US Mint did not produce proof sets in 1966.
1966 Roosevelt Dime Special Mint Set Value
1965 and 1966 dimes featured SMS coins, or Special Mint Sets. The coins featured high quality strikes on higher-tonnage presses.
Each 1966 Special Mint Set included a Lincoln Cent, Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime, Washington Quarter, and a Kennedy Half Dollar.
All of the 1966 special mint set coins were struck at the San Francisco Mint but they do not include the typical "S" mint mark, as none of the 1966 dimes featured a mint mark.
The 1966 "SMS" Dime
We could call it the 1966 P Roosevelt dime, although you will not ever see a "P" on the coin.
SMS coins are not proofs, and the difference is small but important to collectors. Even though SMS coin dies were prepared just like proof dies, resulting in a mirror-like finish on the coin, here are a few subtle differences between proofs and SMS coins.
High quality strikes with no speical treatment prior to striking
Higher-tonnage presses to bring out detail
Only one strike, rather than multiple strikes for proof coins
No mintmarks
Although Special Mint Set 1966 dimes marked an important time-periord in U.S. coin production, values of SMS dimes are not as high as one might expect.
Total mintage was a whopping 2.2 million Special Mint Set 1966 dimes, so current coin values are only about $1 each.
READ MORE about rare and valuable coins –
The Hunt for Half Dollar Coins
Who Is on the Dime?
Are there plans to change the dime design anytime soon? Not really. Since january 1946, Franklin D. Roosevelt has been on the U.S. dime, and it's likely to remain that way for the foreseeable future. In fact, the Roosevelt dime is the only coin in circulation that has yet to be redesigned.
For a little dime design inspiration, we might want to look North to our Canadian friends. Recently, they released the first-ever colored dimes including a touch of blue.
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the famous fishing vessel "Bluenose", the Royal Canadian Mint added the spash of blue color, along with the first redesign since 1937.
How Much is One Dime?
One U.S. dime equals ten cents, or 1/10 of a dollar. This has been a fact since the dime's authorization by the Coinage Act of 1792.
The dime is worth ten pennies, and there are no plans to change the value of a U.S. dime. It's a staple of U.S. coinage for over two hundred years.
How Much Does a Dime Weigh?
The weight of a U.S. dime is 2.268 grams. This is true for every dime minted since 1965.
With a diameter of 17.91 milameters, and a thickness of 1.35 millameters, the "clad sandwich" copper and nickel dime is the thinnest and smallest U.S. coin currently minted.
How Much is a Silver Dime Worth?
Dimes minted 1964 or before contain 90% silver, so the melt value is much higher than a 1966 dime. A circulated silver dime is worth at least $1.30, which is directly tied to current silver prices.
Since the price of silver fluctuates from day to day, even minute to minute, the value of a silver dime will also fluctuate.
The 1966 Dime
Why Do Dimes Have Ridges?
You might be asking yourself, why do some coins have ridges? Coin ridges, or the "reeded edge," is actually a security feature. It goes back hundreds of years when a problem called "coin clipping" began.
Coins produced with gold and silver we desirable, by clipping a fraction of the coin before using it was hardly noticeable. Sir Isaac Newton acting as the Warden of the Royal Mint in 1696, proposed a solution.
Clipping was no longer possible by adding ridges to the edge of coins.
The reeded edge tradition carried over to the United States and has been used in minting coins made of valuable silver, such as dimes and quarters. Smaller denomination coins with a smooth edge such as pennies and nickels were not worth clipping.
Bonus – What is a Half Dime?
When hunting for 1966 dimes, there's a story to keep in mind. Half dimes were silver coins minted from 1792 – 1873.
Once the nickel was created, there was no use for the half-dime, and it was discontinued. But one-half dime stunned the coin-collecting community.
It was the discovery of an 1870-S half dime. The "S" designation represented the San Francisco Mint, but records indicated no half coins were struck there in 1870.
The Mysterious 1832 "Half Dime"
It turns out, that the half coin was one of two minted "off the record" in the corners of the San Francisco mint.
The half dime sold for $425,000 at an auction. Later, the second half dime was found and sold for $660,000 at a Stack's-Bowers auction.
Here's a valuable lesson. New discoveries are always possible. Coin collecting reveals mysteries when you least expect it.
This video summarizes the top 10 most valuable dimes. Roosevelt dimes can be extremely valuable if you know what to look for, so keep searching!
Read more about amazing rare coins –
Sacagawea Coin: Worth One Dollar or Thousands?
Additional Resources –
Current 1966 Dime Auctions – eBay
Rare 1966 Coin Prices – NGC Price Guide
Top 7 Best Places to Sell Coins Online
A Closer Look at Rare Coin Values
A Guide to Rare Buffalo Nickels (Updated 2023)
3 thoughts on "The 1966 Roosevelt Dime, Rare and Unique"
I found a 1966 dime with 2 places missing on it and a 5 in the neck and double minted is it worth anything I just found it in my driveway
Beth Westfall
I have a 1966 with no mint mark looks dd, also have a 1945 penny with the word liberty spelled liborty. I also have a 1926 with a dd misspelled liberty. I have 2, 1955 D which that one looks dd. Also 1959 looks remarkable. Also a1917 penny. I have the 1992,1999 pennies with the AM touching. A 1996 P dd , 1985 deep cameo also a 1971 with no mint mark. I have others which I need to get them graded along with these.
Also have a 1968 dime with no mint mark, could go on. I just need some information where to take these to have them graded. 1980 d 1983 p n 1983 one is a dd. Any questions feel free to ask me. Thank you again for taking the time . Part #2.
Top 15 World's Most Valuable Rare Diamond Guide (Updated 2023)