1964 Dime Value (Rarest & Most Valuable Sold For $10,200)

The 1964 dime, also referred to as the 1964 Roosevelt Dime is a silver bullion coin from the Roosevelt Dimes series (1946 to date). As with any other bullion coin, the 1964 Dime has dual value as a numismatic coin and a coin struck on a silver planchet. Collectors are after the rare, highly graded 1964 Dimes in perfect condition. In terms of official coin grading, the uncirculated 1964 Dimes are the ones most sought after by numismatists.

According to the Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), the 1964 Dime Value in the circulated condition is between $2.15 and $2.65 as of June 2023. Still, the market value of this dime in perfect, uncirculated condition is estimated at around $900. Auction prices tell an entirely different story. For example, a 1964 SMS Dime in SP66 condition, with a rare satin finish, was sold for an “off the chart” price of $10,200 on April 25, 2019. Quite impressive, right? USA Coin Book gives an even more detailed price chart on the 1964 Dime in circulated and uncirculated condition.

They estimate that the value of a 1964 Dime in average condition is $3.19, and in uncirculated MS+ condition between $4.89 to $7.39 or more. The value of the proof coins is $6.42 or more. One thing is for sure the bare minimum value of the 1964 Dime is its melt value of $1.6674 (6/27/2023). It is easy to determine the minimum value, but when it comes to the highest, we have to dig deeper!

Without further ado, let’s explore every possible factor affecting the 1964 Dime value, beginning with the coin’s history, mintage, and design and continuing with the valuable error varieties and auction record prices.

History and Mintage of 1964 Dime

The history of the 1964 Dime is closely connected to the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. It was decided that the Mercury dime should be replaced with one bearing Roosevelt’s image to honor the President and his contribution to the establishment of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis which initially raised money for polio research.

There were two controversies regarding the 1964 Dime. The first was connected to the initials of the coin’s designer John R. Sinnock  (JS). Due to the anti-Communist sentiment in the U.S. at the time, the rumors were that those initials were Joseph Stalin’s placed by a Soviet agent. The other controversy was again related to the 1964 Dime designer and his depiction of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Once the coin was released the rumor was that Sinnock copied his image of Roosevelt from a design made by the African American sculptor Selma Burke.

Both rumors were denied by the designer, but they certainly left a trace of mystery surrounding the 1964 Dime also known as the 1964 Roosevelt Dime. Also, even though the decision to honor Roosevelt on the U.S. Dime was supported by the public, some argued about the President’s stature and thought the Mercury Dime was too beautiful to be changed. However, despite the different opinions the first Roosevelt dimes saw the light of day in 1946, a year after the President’s death, and have been struck every year.

Another interesting historical fact concerning the 1964 Dime is that it was the last dime in the Roosevelt Dime series to use 90% silver and 10% copper. Due to silver’s high demand and rising prices, people started storing silver coins, and dimes in the hope to make a profit. Therefore, a high quantity of 1964 Dimes was minted in the following U.S. Mints:

• 929,360,000 samples of the 1964 Dime were minted in Philadelphia Mint;
• 1,357,517,180 samples of the 1964-D Dime were minted in Denver Mint.

The high mintage didn’t resolve the silver coin storing issue, so a year later, with the passing of the Coinage Act the mintage of the 1964 Dimes struck on silver planchet was stopped. 1965 was when three-quarters of the 1964(P) dimes were minted, and the year of dimes with a copper core clad in cupronickel.

The historical value of the 1964 Dime can only be determined by considering every aspect, controversy, fact, and decision affecting this particular coin. Since you are fully covered with historical and mintage data it’s time we continue with the 1964 Dime main features.

1964 Dime Main Features

• Category: Roosevelt Dimes (1946 to date)
• Mints: Philadelphia and Denver
• Obverse Designer: John R. Sinnock
• Reverse designer: John R. Sinnock
• Composition: silver (90% silver and 10% copper)
• Weight: 2.5 g
• Diameter: 17.91 mm
• Thickness: 1.52 mm
• Face Value: 10 Cents, 1 Dime, or 0.10 USD
• Melt Value: $1.67 (6/27/2023)
• Edge: Reeded

Designed by John R. Sinnock and produced in Philadelphia and Denver Mint, the 1964 Dime has no mint mark and a “D” mint mark that can be seen on the reverse of the coin. To get familiar with this dime from the 1946 to date Roosevelt Dime series you should be familiar with the following features:

• The obverse (face) portrays President Roosevelt facing left. It also carries the initials of the designer John R. Sinnock beneath the lower edge of the President’s bust and a bit to its left. Besides Roosevelt’s portrait, you can also see these writings: “Liberty” (left-hand edge), “In God we trust” (bottom left, beneath his chin), and “1964” (on the right-hand side).
• The reverse (back) of the 1964 Dime design consists of a lit torch, an oak branch to the left, and an olive branch to the right (recommended by the Chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts, Gilmore Clarke). The torch placed in the center of the reveres represents liberty, the olive branch represents peace, and the oak branch strength and dignity. Also, on the reverse, you can see these writings: “United States of America”, “E pluribus unum” (the motto meaning “Out of many, one”), and “One dime”.

Besides the design and main features, you should also know these additional trademarks of the 1964 Dimes:

• The 1964 Dimes have an “FB” designation which refers to the strike quality and means “full band”. Bands (each set contains two bands) can be seen on the coin’s reverse (at the top and bottom of the torch) and must be fully parted from each other with a complete, unbroken line so the coin can be named “FB-full band”.
• PCGS uses the “FB” designation, while the NGC uses an “FT” designation meaning “full torch”. To stay true to that name they have additional requirements where the vertical lines of the torch should be clearly defined too.

Whether you call this feature a full band or full torch, the bottom line is that usually, they are worth more than the 1964 Dimes of the same grade.

1964 Dime Varieties and Value

There are several varieties of the 1964 Dime regarding the place of mintage and mint marks. You should know these 1964 Dimes and their particular value:

• 1964 (P) Dime

The large quantity of dimes minted in Philadelphia means that these coins are still easy to find today. You can recognize the 1964 Dime minted in Philadelphia by the lack of mint mark. A 1964 Dime with no mint mark in circulated and extremely fine condition (XF45) is worth around $3. An uncirculated version of this coin in mint condition is more valuable. For example, the value of a 1964 Dime in MS60 condition is around $4, in MS65 condition around $15, and in MS67 condition around $50. However, the finest example of the 1964 Dime with no mint mark (without the full band designation) in MS68 condition was sold for $384 in 2021.

• 1964-D Dime

The 1964-D Dime was minted in Denver in an even larger quantity than the Philadelphia 1964 Dime. The coins with a “FB” full band (“FT” full torch) designation are more valuable and desired by collectors. The regular ones have the same price as the 1964 Dimes minted in Philadelphia. There is a difference in value only in the higher mint state grades. For example, a 1964-D Dime in MS67 condition is worth around $30. The value rises if the coin has a designated full band, so a 1964-D Dime in MS68 condition full band was sold for nearly $6,500 on eBay in 2018.

• 1964 SMS Dime

Besides the regular mintage of the 1964 Dime in Philadelphia and Denver, Special Mint Sets” (SMS) were produced for collectors and contained a sample of each denomination for that year. These sets were usually minted in a year when there was no mintage of proof coins. That makes them even more unique because proof dimes were produced in 1964. So these are both unique and rare coins and it is believed that there are between 20 and 50 1964 SMS Dimes in existence. The 1964 SMS Dimes were minted in Philadelphia and have no mint mark. These sets are easily recognizable by their special finish and by their smooth, satiny but less glossy look than the proof coins. A 1964 SMS Dime in SP64 condition is worth around $4,000, while the finest known examples in SP68 condition are estimated at an incredible sum of $20,000.

• 1964 (P) Proof Dime

Almost 4 million of the 1964 (P) Proof Dimes were minted, so they can be bought for a modest amount. For example, a 1964 Proof Dime in PR65 condition is worth less than $20, and a 1964 Proof Dime in perfect PR70 condition is worth around $315. If the coin is designated a cameo or deep cameo the price rises. These two designations are used for 1964 Proof Dimes which have a striking contrast between reflective fields and frosted devices. For example, a cameo 1964 Proof Dime in PR64 condition has a value of $14, and a deep cameo in the same condition is $15. However, a deep cameo 1964 Proof Dime in perfect PR70 condition is worth $5,150.

According to our research coin enthusiasts are especially interested in the value of the 1964 Dime with no mint mark. Therefore, it’s important to have more information on this 1964 Dime variety.

1964 Dime no Mint Mark Value

The 1964 Dimes with no mint mark in extremely fine condition value are around $3.25, according to Silver Recycler’s data. The ones with no mint mark in uncirculated MS63 condition are worth around $4, while the 1964 Dimes in MS65 condition are worth around $6.

According to the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) price details, the 1964 Dime no-mint mark value in MS66, MS67, and MS68 condition is as follows:

As you can see the value of the 1964 Dime with no mint mark depends on the coin’s condition and grading. Higher grades and a coin in perfect condition increase the value of the 1964 Dime. If you are looking for a 1964 Dime that’s worth even more you will have to search for the ones with rare error varieties.

Rare 1964 Dime Errors

Now that you are familiar with the main features and value of the 1964 Dime varieties it is time to learn about rare 1964 Dime errors. Here are some rare errors that affect the value of the 1964 Dime:

• 1964- D Dime Struck Through Reeding Error

This unique error occurred on a 1964-D Dime when some reeding had fallen off the coin getting in the way of the following coin. Such an error alters the design of the incoming coin and can be noticed on its obverse. A 1964-D Dime with such an error in AU58 condition was sold for $348, back in 2018.

• 1964 (P) Dime Struck on a Faulty Planchet Error

A 1964 Dime minted in Philadelphia was struck on a faulty planchet (the upper right portion of the planchet was gone) resulting in a coin with less weight than usual (just 2.2 g instead of the 2.5 g). A 1964 Dime with such an error in MS65 condition was sold for $306 in 2015.

• 1964 (P) Dime with Reverse Die Cap Error

Such an error occurs when a 1964 Dime isn’t properly removed after being struck, and while stuck to the die is struck repeatedly. A 1964 Dime with reverse cap die in MS66 condition, and a full torch designation was sold for $460 in 2009.

• 1964 (P) Dime Double Struck with 2^nd Strike Flip over Error

This interesting coin was double-struck. And between the two strikes, the coin flipped, creating a coin with the obverse and reverse designs on the same side. A 1964 (P) Dime with this error in an MS64 condition was sold for $823 in 2013.

• 1964-D Washington Quarter Struck on 1964 D Dime Error

This error occurred when a Washington quarter was struck on an already-struck 1964-D Dime, and parts of the Roosevelt bust and the date can be seen on the coin’s obverse. Such a coin in MS65 condition was sold for $4,313 in 2010.

• 1964-D Double Die Error

A 1964-D Dime with a double die error is something you should look for in the 1964 dimes minted in Denver. If you take a closer look at the reverse you will notice that some letters are struck above each other (wider in dimension). If you have a keen eye you will notice the overlapping quite easily. A 1964-D Dime with a double die error in uncirculated and MS65 condition is worth $160. If the error is more striking the value of the coins goes up!

1964 Dime Auction Record Value

You can’t determine the true value of the 1964 Dime without reviewing the PCGS auction record prices:

Once you take a look at the table information you will see that the 1964 Dime auction value spans between $400 and $10,500. This is another factor that ought to be taken into account when calculating the final value of your 1964 Dime.

Table of Most Valuable 1964 Dimes

To get you even closer to the 1964 Dime value we have included a table with the essential data on the most valuable 1964 Dimes. Here you can find fifteen rarest and most valuable 1964 Dimes sold on PCGS auctions:

According to PCGS auction details the most valuable 1964 SMS Dime in SP66 condition and a razor-sharp satin finish was sold for a remarkable sum of $10,200. Just something to look forward to if you own a similar premium gem. Luckily, there are four such 1964 Dimes with the same grade that can even reach a higher value. So, be on the lookout!

Conclusion

The 1964 Dime value varies due to different factors. Information is crucial when it comes to determining the value of a coin. Hopefully, the information in this article will help you understand the value of the 1964 Dime in circulated, uncirculated condition, with no mint mark, with a “D” mintmark, proof dimes, and the special mint sets (SMS).

Consider each factor affecting the 1964 Dime value because every little detail counts! Once you know the historical value of this silver bullion coin and its rare error varieties, check and compare auction prices. That way you will be ready to enter the world of numismatics and start bidding on a rare and valuable 1964 Dime!