The Roosevelt Dime series began to be issued in 1946 as a tribute to President Franklin D. Roosevelt after his death in 1945. Its design, created by renowned sculptor John R. Sinnock, includes the president’s profile on the obverse and a torch surrounded by oak olive branches on the reverse. And while most of these coins have a face value of ten cents, there are some that reach unimaginable values.
Roosevelt coins are coveted in the numismatic world. This is due to the appearance of specimens with minting errors, which makes them unique to collectors. These details, such as the absence of the San Francisco Mint’s “S ” mark, have caused their price to rise exorbitantly.
What makes this piece so valuable?
One of the clear examples of relevant coins from the Roosevelt series is the 1968 “No S” dime, with one of the most representative modern errors in American numismatics. According to the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), this is considered the first documented case in which a proof specimen lacked the mint mark identifying its origin.
The absence of this detail occurred during the manufacturing procedure of the Philadelphia dies before they were shipped to San Francisco. And while the exact number of pieces affected is unknown, estimates suggest that a few dozen exist. They also became extremely rare pieces, coveted by all collectors.
The Holy Grail of modern coins: the curious case of 1975
On the other hand, in 1975, the mistake was repeated with an even more exceptional result, giving rise to new coins considered “treasures” of numismatics. In this case, the San Francisco Mint produced more than 2.8 million proof sets that year, although only two coins have been found without the mint mark.
Such an error made them the rarest of their kind , raising their price. These Roosevelt coins, commonly called “Proof No S,” are a treasure trove for collectors. Because of their scarcity, these pieces have been dubbed the “Holy Grail” of modern coins.
How to identify these specimens?
1968: No S Proof Dime
- Absence of the San Francisco “S” mark.
- Typical design of the Roosevelt Dime series with the President’s face on the obverse and a torch on the reverse.
- Highly reflective surfaces, typical of proof coins.
1975 No S Proof Dime
- Also lacks the “S” mark in its design.
- This is the rarest of the “No S” coins, with only two known examples.
What is the value of these Roosevelt dimes?
The “No S” coins in the Roosevelt series have proven to be a solid investment for collectors. All pieces containing these features can sell for thousands of dollars on the auction market. According to PCGS, those from 1968 can fetch values up to $50,000, depending on their state of preservation. Legend Auctions, meanwhile, reported that a specimen graded by PCGS as PR68+ sold for $29,375.
Regarding the 1975 pennies, we can say that they have much higher quotations. On October 27, 2024, a specimen of these Roosevelt coins was sold for $506,250 on the GreatCollection platform, so it reached a record for these specimens.
According to statements by Ian Russell, president of the auction house, more than 400 collectors from around the world showed interest in the offer. In 2019, the only other known 1975 specimen without an “S” mark was sold for $465,000. Five days later, the buyer resold it for 516 thousand dollars, demonstrating the high demand for these pieces.
To end this article, don’t forget that you can use the current news section to keep up to date with publications of public interest.
