Face value: 1982 dimes

Dimes that are missing a mintmark from this year are worth much more than 10 cents.

Roosevelt dimes have been struck since 1946. One of the most popular varieties of business strikes are the ones dated 1982 that lack a mintmark.

Starting in 1968, mintmarks on the dime were moved from the reverse (adjacent to the bottom of the torch) to the obverse (above the date). Beginning in 1980, dimes that were struck in Philadelphia started carrying the “P” mintmark; before that, they had no mintmark.

In 1982, a Mint employee inadvertently neglected to punch the “P” mintmark into a single obverse die. About 75,000 dimes are thought to have been struck with this die, since that was about how many coins a dime die of this time period could be used before being retired from service.

Besides this important variety, other factors determining the value of a Roosevelt dime are its numerical grade and whether it is a Proof, a special format produced for collectors. Another factor determining the market value of Roosevelt dimes is the appearance of the bands on the torch. When both pairs of bands show full separation, and the vertical lines on the torch are well defined, then the coin earns NGC’s Full Torch (FT) designation. Dimes with an FT designation are worth more than those in the same grade that lack the designation.

Mintmarks on 1982 Dimes

All 1982 dimes were supposed to have mintmarks. Nearly four million 1982 Proof dimes were struck, all of them bearing the “S” mintmark of San Francisco. Meanwhile, over one billion dimes were struck for circulation, split almost evenly between ones that bear the “D” mintmark of Denver and the “P” mintmark of Philadelphia. However, there is only a modest numismatic premium on 1982 dimes unless they earn a top grade, have an error, or are of the No P variety, where the mintmark is missing. NGC Price Guide values include:

• 1982-P dime: NGC MS-64 — $10 (or $20 with the FT designation)
• 1982 No P dime: NGC MS-64 — $225 (or $240 with the FT designation)
• 1982 No P dime — Weak Strike: NGC MS-64 — $215

Other Roosevelt Dimes Missing a Mintmark

Mintmarks were also inadvertently excluded from Roosevelt Proof dimes in four separate years: 1968, 1970, 1975, and 1983. Only two examples of the 1975 are known, with one of them realizing $456,000 at a Heritage Auctions sale in 2019. NGC Price Guide values for the other dates include:

• 1968 No S Proof dime: NGC PF-68 — $27,000 (or $38,000 with the Cameo designation)
• 1970 No S Proof dime: NGC PF-68 — $1,050 (or $1,400 with the Cameo designation)
• 1983 No S Proof dime: NGC PF-69 Ultra Cameo — $1,150

All values are based on the NGC Price Guide as of October 2023.

Press release courtesy of the Numismatic Guaranty Company

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