1951 Roosevelt Dime Value Guide

What Is the 1951 Roosevelt Dime Made Of?

The Roosevelt dime replaced the Mercury dime in 1946. The 1951 Roosevelt dime is just among the year series of its long mintage history. Since the dime is only 10 cents, a lot of people think that this coin doesn’t have any collectible value, however, as you will see later, this coin can actually be quite valuable if given the right condition.

The 1951 Roosevelt dime is made of 90% silver and 10% copper. This means that if you’re looking for a silver coin in your collection, you definitely need a 1951 10-cent. By 1965 up to the present, the composition of the dime was changed from silver to base metals, particularly copper and nickel.

Aside from that, the 1951 Roosevelt dime has a mass of 2.50 grams and a reeded edge.

In 1946, the US Mint decided to replace the dime’s design to honor the late president Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), who died on April 12, 1945. It was a fitting way to honor the 32nd US president who led the country through the Great Depression and World War II.

John Sinnock, the Chief Engraver of the US Mint, designed the Roosevelt dime. He prepared a few models until one was approved by the Commission of Fine Arts. His design would later become the face of the dime to this day.

photo source: USA Coin Book

The obverse features the image of FDR, facing to the left. Inscriptions include the following:

• Liberty
• In God we trust
• 1951
• Designer’s initials (JS)

On the reverse side of the coin, you’ll find three images: an olive branch, an oak branch, and the Liberty bell. Inscriptions include the following:

• United States of America
• One Dime
• E Pluribus Unum
• Mint mark (if present)

1951 Roosevelt Dime Varieties

There were about 160 million 10-cent coins issued in 1951. This is actually a good mintage figure.

The 1951 Roosevelt dime has at least four varieties. These are the 1951-D, 1951-P, 1951 Proof, and 1951-S Roosevelt dimes. Aside from these standard-issued coins, some error coins give rise to a new variety.

To learn more, here are the 1951 Roosevelt Dime Varieties:

1951 D Roosevelt Dime

photo source: PCGS

The Denver Mint produced a lot of Roosevelt dimes in 1951, with more than 56 million issued.

Generally speaking, the Denver Mint produced a better-looking 1951 dime compared to the ones struck in the Philadelphia and San Francisco Mint.

Nevertheless, some 1951 D dimes still suffered from contact marks. Even though there are plenty of 1951 D dimes, they are difficult to find in gem conditions.

When it comes to price, circulated dimes may just be about $2.25 to $2.75 in value. However, uncirculated dimes can be worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

1951 P Roosevelt Dime

photo source: PCGS

In 1951, the Philadelphia Mint produced an impressive 103,880,102 mintage figure for the 10-cent coin. This tells you that you might be able to find a 1951-P dime in coin shops easily.

It’s worth noting that the U.S. Mint needed to cut down its expenses a few years after World War II. This is evident as you look at the poor quality of the coins of the 1950s, including the 1951 dime. That’s why finding 1951 dimes in uncirculated condition can be difficult. If you find one, you should be able to sell it for a higher price.

Price may range from $0.10 to $18. Some circulated coins would be cheaper, while dimes in pristine conditions can be worth thousands of dollars.

1951 P Roosevelt Dime (Proof)

photo source: PCGS

The Philadelphia Mint produced more than 57,000 proof coins in 1941. The price may range from $1 to $39, and some can be more expensive in the open market. The US Mint saw a slight increase in demand when it came to proof set sales during the 1950s. That’s why, in the following years, the US Mint produced more and more proof dimes.

You should be able to find 1951 dimes in PR66 condition easily. However, anything better than that would be difficult, especially the proof dimes with cameo and deep cameo contrasts.

1951 S Roosevelt Dime

photo source: PCGS

The San Francisco Mint produced more than 31 million 1951 dimes. 1951 Roosevelt 10 cents are fairly common in circulated grades, even in uncirculated grades from MS60 to MS65. However, MS66-graded 1951 dimes become difficult to obtain and become scarcer as the grade increases.

It’s worth noting that the San Francisco Mint in 1951 had some problems controlling the quality of their issued coins. Thus, 1951-S dimes are known to be poorly struck due to the use of heavily worn dies.

List of 1951 Roosevelt Dime Errors

As mentioned, the US Mint was in a serious cost-cutting mode in 1951. As a result, quality control was poor, and there were a lot of dimes that left the mint with errors. Most errors had something to do with die breaks and poor strikes.

When a die break happens, the die develops a crack, which is also imprinted on the planchet. That’s why you’ll see unintended small, short lines on error coins.

Some error coins received a weak strike. This makes the imprinted elements to be shallow. There are also times when the strike is off-center. This leads to various results, and one of them would be having a doubled rim just like this one below:

photo source: eBay

Some coins had planchet errors. In this error, there could be a clipped area of the planchet, or the planchet has a folded portion.

Although error coins are something that the US Mint doesn’t want to have, they are actually of great interest to coin collectors. After all, error coins can be unique and interesting in their look.

How Much Is 1951 Roosevelt Dime Worth Today?

The 1951 dime is worth 10 cents, as its face value shows. Its melt value is higher, which is $1.7622. This is expected since the 1951 Roosevelt dime is made of silver. Its melt value can increase or decrease depending on the market value of silver.

Nevertheless, you would be surprised to note that some 1951 Roosevelt dimes are worth hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

Take a look at this 1951 Roosevelt Dime values chart:

As you can see, the 1951 dime is undoubtedly expensive if it has the right grade, condition, and rarity. To further give you an idea of how a 1951 dime can be astronomically more valuable than its face value or melt value, take a look at the following auction records for each variety:

• $23,500 – 1951 10C, DCAM (Proof) with a grade of PR68 sold in 01-08-2014 by Heritage Auctions
• $8,337 – 1951-D 10C, FB (Regular Strike) with a grade of MS68 sold in January 2009 by Superior Galleries
• $6,038 – 1951-S 10C, FB (Regular Strike) with a grade of MS68 sold in February 2007 by Bowers & Merena
• $4,465 – 1951- 10C, FB (Regular Strike) with a grade of MS68FB sold in 08-02-2017 by Heritage Auctions

How Does The Grading System Work?

The Sheldon Scale is used by numismatists to provide a numerical value to coins. The Sheldon Scale goes from poor (P-1) to perfect mint state (P-1) (MS-70). Coins were originally evaluated using words to reflect their condition (Good, Fair, Excellent, Etc.). Unfortunately, coin collectors and dealers had different ideas about what each of these terms represent.

Professional numismatists joined together in the 1970s and established CoinGrading standards. These numismatists now assign grades at key places on the seventy-point scale, using the most regularly utilized numeric points in conjunction with the original adjective grade. The following are the most common coin grades:

1. 1. • (P-1) Poor – Indistinguishable and probably damaged; if used, must have a date and mintmark; otherwise, rather battered.
      • (FR-2) Fair – Nearly smooth, but without the damage that a coin graded Poor often possesses. The coin must have enough detail to be identified.
      • (G-4) Fair – Inscriptions have merged into the rims in some areas, and important elements have been mostly erased.
      • (VG-8) Very Good- A little weathered, but all of the primary design elements are visible, albeit faintly. There is little if any, central detail left.
      • (F-12) Good – The item is very worn, yet the wear is even, and the overall design details stand out clearly. Rims are almost completely isolated from the field.
      • (VF-20) Very Fine – Moderately weathered, with some finer features still visible. The motto or all letters of LIBERTY are readable. Both sides of the coin have entire rims that are separated from the field.
      • (EF-40) Extremely Fine – Gently used; all gadgets are visible, and the most important ones are bold. The finer details are bold and clear, however, light wear may be seen.
      • (AU-50) Uncirculated – Slight evidence of wear on the coin’s design’s high points; may have contact marks; eye appeal should be adequate.
      • (AU-58) Uncirculated Choice – Slight traces of wear, no severe contact marks, almost full mint shine, and great eye appeal.
      • (MS-60) Mint State Basal – Strictly uncirculated; no indication of wear on the coin’s highest points, but an unsightly coin with reduced luster, visible contact marks, hairlines, and other flaws.
      • (MS-63) Mint State Acceptable – Uncirculated, but with contact scratches and nicks, little reduced shine, but otherwise appealing appearance. The strike is weak to average.
      • (MS-65) Mint State Choice – Uncirculated with great mint shine, very little contact blemishes, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is unusually severe.
      • (MS-68) Mint State Premium Quality – Uncirculated with superb luster, no obvious contact marks to the naked eye, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is quick and appealing.
      • (MS-69) Almost Perfect Mint State – Uncirculated with perfect brilliance, a sharp and appealing strike, and extremely good eye appeal. A near-perfect coin with minor imperfections in the planchet, strike, and contact markings (seen only under 8x magnification).
      • (MS-70) Mint State Perfect – Under 8x magnification, there are no tiny imperfections discernible; the strike is crisp, and the coin is perfectly centered on a beautiful planchet. Rarely seen on a coin, this coin is bright and whole, with original luster and exceptional eye appeal.

Where To Buy Or Sell 1951 Roosevelt Dime?

The 1951 Roosevelt dime is available both online and offline. Some of the most popular websites to check include Amazon, Etsy, and eBay. Some websites specialize in buying and selling coins. These include JM Bullion, CoinTrackers, and USA Coin Book.

You can go to coin shops, pawnshops, and antique stores to check if they have 1951 10-cent coins. You can also join auction houses. Get in touch with professional grading service providers. They normally have a list of coins that are for sale.

FAQs

Does a 1951 dime have silver?

The 1951 dime has silver content. Specifically, it has 90% silver, and the rest is made of copper.

Who is on a 1951 dime?

1951 dime has Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, on its obverse.

What is a 1951 S dime worth?

The 1951 S dime, if it is in circulated condition, is worth around $2 to $5. The coin can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars if it is in pristine condition and is already graded.