If you’re trying to find a fun and easy coin collection that won’t break the bank, then you might be interested in starting a proof Roosevelt dime collection.
Roosevelt dimes have been made since 1946.
Through 1964, Roosevelt dimes were made from silver. Since 1965, circulation versions have been made from a copper-nickel clad composition.
So, what’s it take to build a proof Roosevelt dime collection — and how much does it cost?
Building Your Proof Roosevelt Dime Collection
OK, so where do you begin when buying those proof Roosevelt dimes?
You’ll need to determine your budget and decide how much of a coin collection you can afford to put together or want to patiently build.
Are you going to try to put together a collection of ALL the years of proof Roosevelt dimes, or just those made since 1968 — the first year proof copper-nickel clad Roosevelt dimes were made? (No proof Roosevelt dimes were made from 1965 to 1967 or 1946 to 1949.)
Different Kinds Of Proof Roosevelt Dimes
Yes, there’s more than one type of proof Roosevelt dime. There are the silver proofs and the copper-nickel clad proofs. And, for the record, the United States Mint has been making both types of proof dimes since 1992.
Here’s a look at what you’ll be paying for each of the different types of proof Roosevelt dimes:
- The earlier silver proof Roosevelt dimes (those made from 1946 to 1964) can all be had for under $75 each — though most of them are less than $20, and some are under $5.
- The more recent silver proof Roosevelt dimes (made since 1992) are a little more affordable; with a few exceptions, these cost around $4 to $7 each.
- And what about the copper-nickel clad proof Roosevelt dimes? Those are very cheap! In fact, most can be purchased for less than $3.
The Most-Expensive Proof Roosevelt Dimes
There’s always a coin (or 2 or 3) that’ll be the most expensive in a set. Even with the generally cheap Roosevelt dime, there are several that will set you back by more than a few bucks. Let’s take a look at those more-expensive Roosevelt dimes below:
- 1950 proof Roosevelt dime $50
- 1951 proof Roosevelt dime $50
- 1952 proof Roosevelt dime $35
- 1953 proof Roosevelt dime $38
- 1954 proof Roosevelt dime $18
- 1955 proof Roosevelt dime $15
- 1995-S copper-nickel clad proof Roosevelt dime $15
- 1995-S silver proof Roosevelt dime $20
- 1997-S silver proof Roosevelt dime $18
Error Proof Roosevelt Dimes
You’ve probably heard about a few error coins among proof Roosevelt dimes, too. Those are far more expensive than the regular proof Roosevelt dimes listed above.
While most coin collectors don’t go after including those error Roosevelt dimes in their sets because they’re simply too expensive and weren’t even intended to be made anyway (that’s why they’re regarded as errors!) here’s a look at what those error Roosevelt proof dimes would cost you to buy:
- 1960 doubled-die obverse proof dime $250
- 1963 doubled-die reverse proof dime $250
- 1968 no-S proof dime $15,000
- 1970 no-S proof dime $850
I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century.
I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek.
I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!