ROOSEVELT DIME

 

1946-1964

 

Designer:  John R. Sinnock  (See introductory notes)

 

Engraver:  John R. Sinnock

 

Mints:  Philadelphia  1946-1964  (No mintmark)

            Denver  1946-1964  (D)

            San Francisco  1946-1955  (S)

 

Specifications:

     Weight---2.5 grams

             90% silver  (Net weight: .07234 oz. pure silver)

             10% copper

 

Diameter:  17.9 mm., reeded edge (According to the U.S. Mint, there are

                  118 edge reeds on Roosevelt dimes from 1946 to present.)

 

 

1946

 

 Comment:  The most prolific year for die varieties, RPM's, and doubled die coins is 1946.  It may have been the intentional rush for production of the Roosevelt dime (see comments in Introduction) or perhaps that mint employees were still celebrating the end of World War II, but for whatever reason this is the dream year for a Roosevelt dime variety collector.  RPM's are numerous and can be found quite easily.  In this text, several previously unpublished RPM varieties are shown and there are undoubtedly many more which have yet to be discovered.  Doubled die varieties seem to be so numerous that a nearly complete listing will probably take decades to assemble.  Additional comments will be found before the RPM and Doubled Die listings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1946 (Philadelphia)

 

Mintage:  255,250,000  (All Types)

 

Type I:  The "Y" of LIBERTY is far from the forelock.  The JS

              (designer's initials) is small, weak, and often indistinct.

 

Transitional Type:  The "Y" of LIBERTY is far from the forelock.

               The JS is larger, stronger, and quite distinct.

 

Type II:  The "Y" of  LIBERTY is close to the forelock.  The JS is

               large, bold, and distinct.

              

                  Far  "Y"                                     Near  "Y"

 

 

 

 

                    Weak  JS                                  Strong  JS

 

 

Author's Note:  The "Transitional Type" is so named in an effort to respect Walter Breen's description of what are referred to as the Type I and the Type II Roosevelt dimes in his Encyclopedia of  U.S. and Colonial Coins.  As the Type II design is that which was finally adopted, the term "Transitional Type" should suffice until Breen's work is updated.  Perhaps at that time these different types will be listed as Type I, Type II, and Type III.

 

     Other apparent changes which distinguish the Type I and Transitional Type from the Type II Roosevelt dime are those of slightly differing facial characteristics.  Based on observation, the Type II design has a somewhat "fleshier" appearance than earlier designs.  Modifications appear to include adopting a more rounded nose and increasing the size and shape of the jowl to give a more realistic and less chiseled profile.

 

 

   Type I and Transitional Type               Type II

 

 

     The design of Roosevelt's nose was eventually changed to one which seems to be a compromise of the two earlier styles.  It is less round than the Type II and has a small, flat angle on the end.  This style seems to be the final choice and appears in following years.

 

                     

 

 

 

 

 

Doubled  Die List

         

PUP is an abbreviation for Pick Up Point.  It refers to the area on a coin by which a given variety can be identified.  PUP will be used throughout this text next to the descriptions of doubled die varieties.

 

1946  1-O-V-CW            PUP:  Medium spread on date, JS top to

                                                 bottom, neckline, and IN GOD WE

                                                 TRUST.

         

                                                  

 

 

 

1946  2-O-V-CCW          PUP:  Medium doubling on date and

                                                 strong side by side doubling on JS.

 

 

1946  3-O-II-C                PUP:  Light doubling on entire obverse

                                                including profile and eyeball.

 

 

 

 

1946  4-O-V-CW            PUP:  Strong spread on date, IN GOD WE

                                                 TRUST, LIBERTY, and JS top to

                                                 bottom.

 

                                                   Note:  The reverse may also be

                                                              listed as 3-R-II-C+V-CW.

                                                              This coin is listed in the

                                                              Cherrypickers’ Guide by Fivaz

                                                              and Stanton as FS-011.4.

 

 

 

 

1946  5-O-II-C                PUP:  Light spread on date, IN GOD WE

                                                TRUST, and JS top to bottom.

 

 

 

1946  6-O-I-CW              PUP:  Strong spread in date, JS top to

                                                 bottom, IN GOD WE TRUST.  Light

                                                 spread on back of head and neck.

  

                                                   Note:  This obverse has also been

                                                              paired with the reverse

                                                              identifiable as 4-R-II-C+V-CW.

 

 

1946  7-O-II-C                PUP:  Strong spread on date, IN GOD WE

      +V-CW                              TRUST, base of bust, ear, and JS

                                                 top to bottom.

 

1946  8-O-V-CCW         PUP:  Strong spread on date, IN GOD WE

                                                TRUST, JS, and bottom edge of

                                                bust.  Medium spread on LIBERTY.

 

 

1946  9-O-II-C                PUP:  Light spread on date, JS top to

                                                bottom, TRUST, and base of bust.

 

 

1946  10-O-II-C              PUP:  Light spread on date, JS top to bottom,

                                                and IN GOD WE TRUST.

                                              

                                

1946  11-O-II-C              PUP:  Light spread on date, JS top to bottom,

                                                and TRUST.

                                               

                                                                                                   

1946  12-O-V-CCW       PUP:  Medium spread on LIBERTY, front

                                                profile, ear, eyelid, and hair

                                                detail.

 

 

 

 

1946  13-O-II-C              PUP:  Medium spread on date and JS top to

                                                bottom.

 

 

 

 

  

1946  14-O-V-CW          PUP:  Strong spread on date, JS top to

                                                bottom, IN GOD WE TRUST, and

                                                base of bust.  Light on LI of LIBERTY

                                                and back of neck.

                                                  

                                                                                                

1946  15-O-II-C              PUP:  Light spread on date, JS top to

                                                bottom.

 

 

 

1946  16-O-II-C              PUP:  Light spread on LIBERTY with

                                                strongest on RTY.

 

 

 

 

1946  17-O-II-C               PUP:  Medium spread on IN GOD WE

                                                 TRUST.  Light spread on JS side by

                                                 side and LIBERTY.                    

 

 

 

1946  18-O-II-C+            PUP:  Medium spread on profile, date,

          V-CW                             LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and

                                                 JS.

 

 

1946  19-O-II-C              PUP:  Light spread on date and JS top

                                                to bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1946  20-O-II-C              PUP:   Light spread on date, JS top to bottom,

                                                 and TRUST.

 

 

 

 

                                                  

1946  21-O-II-C              PUP:  Medium spread on IN GOD WE

                                                TRUST.  Light spread on date, JS

                                                side by side, and profile.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                      

 

1946  22-O-II-C              PUP:  Light spread on LIBERTY, forehead,

                                                and profile.

 

                                                

1946  23-O-II-C              PUP:  Light spread on LIBERTY, IN GOD

                                                WE TRUST, and front profile near

                                                 the brow.  A very light spread is

                                                     found on the date and JS.

 

 

1946  24-O-III                  PUP:  Light spread on date and JS top to

                                                    bottom.

                                                

                                                   Note:  This obverse has been paired

                                                              with the reverse doubled die

                                                              identifiable as 11-R-II-C.

                                                  

 

1946  25-0-V-CW           PUP:  Strong spread on date, JS, and IN

                                                    GOD WE TRUST.  Medium to light

                                                    on LIBERTY, and back of neck.

 

 

 

 

 

1946  26-O-V-CW           PUP:  Strong spread on date, JS, and IN

                                                 GOD WE TRUST.  Light spread

                                                 on LIB and back of neck. 

 

                                                    Note:  This obverse has been paired

                                                               with the reverse doubled die

                                                               identifiable as 9-R-II-C.

 

 

 

1946  1-R-V-CW             PUP:  Light spread on right side

                                                 details including DIME, UNUM,

                                                 OF AMERICA, and far right

                                                 edges of leaves.

 

 

1946  2-R-II-C                 PUP:  Light spread on ONE DIME and

                                                 AMERICA.

 

1946  3-R-II-C                 PUP:  Strong spread on ONE DIME, UNUM,

      +V-CW                               OF AMERICA, and right side dot.

 

                                                   Note:  This reverse has been

                                                              paired with the obverse

                                                              doubled die identifiable

                                                              as 4-O-V-CW.  This coin is

                                                              listed in the Cherrypickers’

                                                              Guide by Fivaz and Stanton as

                                                              FS-011.4.

 

 

 

                                                   

 

1946  4-R-II-C                PUP:  Light spread on ONE DIME.  Light

      +V-CW                              rotation found on E PLUR, UNITED,

                                                and ON.

 

                                                  Note:  This reverse has been

                                                             paired with the obverse

                                                            doubled die identifiable

                                                            as 6-O-I-CW.

 

1946  5-R-II-C+               PUP:  Light spread on DIME.

          C-CCW                                        

 

 

1946  6-R-II-E                 PUP:  Very strong spread on UNITED,

            +V-CW                         olive branches, and leaves.  Light

                                                  spread toward the edge on the last

                                                  S of STATES, OF, and the AM of

                                                  AMERICA.

                                                                                                       

                                                    

1946  7-R-VIII                PUP:  Strong spread to the right of the lower

                                                right stem, and medium spread on

                                                upper torch and flame with extra

                                                thickness on DIME and AMERICA.

 

 

 

1946  8-R-II-C                PUP:  Medium spread on DIME, UNUM,

                                                right stem, dot  and RICA of

                                                AMERICA.

 

1946  9-R-II-C                PUP:  Light spread on DIME, UNUM, dot

                                                and RICA of AMERICA.

 

                                                   Note:  This reverse has been paired

                                                              with the doubled die obverse

                                                              identifiable as 26-O-V-CW.

 

 

1946  10-R-VI                 PUP:  Strong extra thickness of all lettering,

                                                dots, and stems.

 

 

1946  11-R-II-C               PUP:  Light spread on DIME, UNUM, dot,

                                                 leaves, Right stem, and AMERICA.

 

                                                    Note:  This reverse has been paired

                                                              with the obverse doubled die

                                                               identifiable as 24-O-II-C.