1955 Roosevelt Dime Value Guide

What Is the 1955 Roosevelt Dime Made Of?

The 1955 Roosevelt dime is 90% silver and 10% copper. That’s why this should be part of your list if you’re looking to add a silver coin to your collection. The Jefferson dime issued from 1946 to 1964 has silver content. It was only in 1965 that the silver was removed, and it was replaced by 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. 

Here are the specifications of the 1955 Roosevelt dime that you should know:

• $0.10 in face value
• Reeded edge
• 50 grams in weight
• 90 mm in diameter

The dime has not always featured the face of Roosevelt. When the dime was first struck, it had a different design. Here’s a quick look at its history:

• Winged Liberty Head, also known as Mercury dime (1916-1945)
• Barber (1892-1916)
• Seated Liberty (1837-1891)
• Capped Bust (1809-1837)
• Draped Bust design (1796-1807)

So, by 1946, the Roosevelt dime replaced the Mercury dime. It was a move by the US Mint to honor the 32nd president of the United States. As you might remember, FDR died in 1945. Soon after his death, legislation was made to add his image to the dime.

Because there was not enough time to look for a designer, the US Mint decided to have John Sinnock, the Mint’s Chief Engraver, design the Roosevelt. He was the perfect choice since he had already designed a Mint presidential medal for Roosevelt.

photo source: USA Coin Book

For the design, the obverse has Roosevelt’s image facing to the left side of the coin. Inscriptions include

• LIBERTY
• IN GOD WE TRUST
• 1955
• Designer’s initials (JS)

On the reverse side, there are three primary images that you’ll find the following:

• Liberty torch – symbolizes freedom
• Olive branch – symbolizes peace
• Oak branch – symbolizes strength

The inscriptions include the following:

• UNITED STATES oF AMERICA
• E PLURIBUS UNUM
• ONE DIME

1955 Roosevelt Dime Varieties

The 1955 Roosevelt dime has at least four varieties. These are the 1955-D, 1955-P, 1955 Proof, and 1955-S Roosevelt dimes. Aside from these standard-issued coins, some error coins give rise to a new variety.

To learn more, here are the 1955 Roosevelt Dime Varieties:

1955 D Roosevelt Dime

photo source: PCGS

The Denver Mint produced the most Roosevelt dimes in 1955, with more than 13.9 million issued. However, it should be noted that this is very low if you compare it with other years of minting.

According to the records, the 1955-D Roosevelt dime is the third lowest mintage coin in the 1946 to 1964 circulation. You can sell these coins from $0.10 to $14, depending on the rarity and condition of the coin.

You should be able to find 1955 D dimes in grades MS60 to MS66 with relative ease. However, any 1955 D dimes with a grade of MS67 and higher would be challenging to find.

1955 P Roosevelt Dime

photo source: PCGS

Again, 1955 was a year of low dime production. That’s why the 1955 P dime is considered to have the lowest mintage in all the circulation series of the Roosevelt dime. As you can see, only 12,450,181 1955 dimes were produced.

1955 dimes should be easy to find in circulated conditions. You should find them relatively easily in MS 60 to MS 64 grades. Only in MS65 and MS66 does the dime become more challenging to find. Rarer 1955 dimes are the ones with MS67 and above grades.

Perhaps, the most challenging type of the 1955 dime to find is the one with a Full Band rating and a grade of MS67 and above. According to some estimates, only a dozen MS67 1955 dime full-band coins exist today.

The usual selling price of the 1955 P dime is $0.10 to $15.

1955 P Roosevelt Dime (Proof)

photo source: PCGS

The Philadelphia Mint produced proof coins aside from the standard coins they issued. For proof coins of 1955 dimes, there were about 378 thousand of them. The price starts at around $1 to $23. So you can reasonably find a 1955 proof dime up to PR67 grade.

However, it immediately becomes scarce for grades PR68, PR69, and PR70. The rarest would be PR67 and higher with a Deep or Ultra Cameo rating.

1955 S Roosevelt Dime

photo source: PCGS

The San Francisco Mint produced more than 18.5 thousand 1955 dimes. As a result, 1955 Roosevelt 10 cents are relatively common in circulated grades, even in uncirculated grades from MS60 to MS65. However, MS66-graded 1955 dimes become difficult to obtain and become scarcer as the grade increases.

List of 1955 Roosevelt Dime Errors

There were more than 45 million dimes produced in 1955. As you can see, the mintage for this year is low, but still, a few coin errors came about during production.

For example, there were coins with cud errors. It looks like this:

photo source: eBay

As you can see in the image, the cud is found on top of the letters E and S of the word STATES. This is because a die defect causes a cud. As a result, there’s a raised portion on the planchet.

Other 1955 dime errors can include the following:

• Doubled die reverse
• Doubled die obverse
• Weak strike
• Broadstrike
• Off-center strike
• Clashed dies
• Strike-through
• Rotated dies

While error coins are something that the US Mint doesn’t want to have, they are actually among the most interesting types of coins to collect. This is because error coins are often unique and interesting.

How Much Is 1955 Roosevelt Dime Worth Today?

The 1955 Roosevelt dime is worth 10 cents, as its face value shows. So, if you’re going to use this coin, you can buy goods that are worth 10 cents. Its melt value is $1.7412, slightly higher than its face value since the 1955 dime is made of silver.

To give you an idea of how much a 1955 Roosevelt dime would cost, you may want to check this table:

As you can see, there are just some 1955 dimes that are worth a lot of money. Take a look at these auction records for each variety:

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 1955 Roosevelt Dime?

The 1955 Roosevelt dime can be bought and sold online or in brick-and-mortar stores. Amazon, Etsy, and eBay are the most popular websites you can buy and sell.

Offline, you can visit coin shops, collectors’ hubs or social clubs, pawnshops, and antique stores. You can also join auction sales to find some of the most interesting 1955 Roosevelt dimes.

FAQs

Is a 1955 dime silver?

Yes, the 1955 dime is made of 90% silver and 10% copper.

How do you know if you have a No S Roosevelt dime?

Coins struck in San Francisco Mint would bear an S mint mark. If you don’t see the mark, it is most likely not from the San Francisco Mint.

Is there a dime worth $2 million?

According to some experts, a dime worth $2 million would be the 1894-S Barber Dime. It is said that there were 24 of these dimes originally minted. However, today, there are only 9 of them known to exist.

Why does my 1955 dime not have a mint mark?

If your 1955 dime doesn’t have a mint mark, it was struck in the Philadelphia Mint.