Roosevelt Dime Mintages Guide
Roosevelt dime mintages have gotten complicated with all the composition changes, mint location variations, and special issue releases flying around. As someone who has built complete Roosevelt dime sets including proofs, I learned everything there is to know about production numbers and their impact on value. Today, I will share it all with you.
The Silver Years (1946-1964)
Probably should have led with this section, honestly—early Roosevelt dimes were 90% silver and had widely varying mintages. The series launched in 1946 with over 255 million coins across three mints.
Key dates from this era:
- 1949-S: 13.5 million—scarcer in high grades
- 1950-S: 20.4 million
- 1955: Lower combined mintage year
That’s what makes hunting silver Roosevelt dimes endearing to us collectors—even “common” dates have surprising scarcity in gem condition.
The Clad Era (1965-Present)
After 1964, dimes switched to copper-nickel clad. Mintages exploded—1965 alone saw over 1.6 billion dimes.
Notable clad-era mintages:
- 1982 (no mintmark): Philadelphia, relatively low mintage
- 1996-W: Special West Point issue, only 1.45 million
- 2009: Economic downturn caused historically low mintage of 146 million total
Proof and Special Issues
San Francisco produces proof dimes annually for collectors. Silver proofs returned in 1992. These consistently low-mintage issues offer collecting challenges beyond circulation strikes.
Why Mintage Matters
Lower mintage generally means higher value, but condition matters more. A common-date MS-67 can be worth more than a key-date MS-63. Smart collectors track both mintage and population reports.
