The 1966 10-cent US dime belongs to the Roosevelt series, and began production in 1946 but the Coinage Act was necessary because silver prices had risen and people were melting down old silver coins to sell the metal, leading to a shortage of coins for public use.
Therefore, the government had to change the metal, making new coins from cheaper materials.
Before 1965, 10-cent coins used 90% silver — and after 1965, including 1966, the metal changed to a clad copper-nickel mix, having no silver content.
And if you wanted to look at the 1966 dime value through the prism of silver, you were slightly mistaken about the period, but nevertheless the value of the token can be very different.
Technical Specifications of the Coin
- Nominal Value: 10 C
- Diameter: 17.91 mm
- Thickness: 1.35 mm
- Weight: 2.268 g
- Composition: 75% copper and 25% nickel
- Edge: Reeded
- Designer: Adolph A. Weinman
- Obverse: Image of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s profile, looking left. Words LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST. The date 1966 is at the bottom.
- Reverse: A torch, symbolizing liberty, olive and oak branches, meaning peace and strength. Words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE DIME, and E PLURIBUS UNUM.
Mintage and Place of Production
1966 dimes have no mint marks — this was common for all US coins made from 1965 to 1967. Production happened at two Mints:
- Philadelphia Mint
- Denver Mint
The total number of 1966 dimes made for public use was 719,270,570.
Factors Setting the Value of the 1966 Dime
Nominal and Metal Value
- Nominal Value: $0.10 USD.
- Metal Value: The value of the copper and nickel is much lower than $0.10. The coin has no investment value based on precious metals, even if metal prices rise, the amount of base metal contained in the coin is too small to affect its value.
Numismatic Value and Condition
The numismatic value depends totally on its physical condition, judged using the Sheldon scale. Conditions range from the worst to the best.
Key Condition Factors:
- Wear: Loss of original design details coming from use, it appears first on the highest parts of the coin.
- Luster: Original coin shine remaining on the coin, and full luster making the coin look new is very important.
- Surface Marks: Scratches, nicks, or spots coming from contact with other coins.
- Strike Quality: A poor strike means the details are weak, lowering the value.
Sheldon Scale Condition Grades
Grades for Used Coins
- G-4 Good: Being very worn, the coin still has all its main lines visible and the date is clear; wear heavily covers the torch and Roosevelt’s hair, leaving the rim complete but flat.
- VG-8 Very Good: The coin shows heavy use, keeping the rim full and the head outline visible, but fine lines of design are missing; finding the coin with readable letters is important at this level of wear.
- F-12 Fine: All four horizontal bands on the torch are visible but are worn in the middle, showing moderate use; Roosevelt’s hair has little detail, leaving the outlines of the leaves present.
- XF-40 Extremely Fine: Showing only small wear on high points like the hair above the ear and the center of the torch, the coin retains over 50% of its original shine, making the coin look very nice.
- AU-50 About Uncirculated: The coin looks new, displaying only small signs of wear on the highest points, being the first parts to wear down; having lost more than half of its shine, the coin’s surface looks dull.
Grades for Unused Coins
Unused coins are judged from MS-60 to MS-70.
- MS-60: A coin never used in public has many deep contact marks coming from being stored in bags, resulting in a dull shine being present on the surface.
- MS-63: Being a better unused coin, it has fewer marks than an MS-60, displaying a full shine that makes it more attractive.
- MS-65: This high quality coin has few contact marks, not being visible without magnification, and showing great preservation.
- MS-66: Showing only very minor flaws, this one has a strong and attractive shine.
Special Mark: Full Bands (FB)
Criteria for receiving the FB mark:
- Upper Bands: Two horizontal lines under the torch flame must be clearly and fully separated.
- Lower Bands: Two horizontal lines at the base of the torch must be clearly and fully separated.
If these four lines are clearly separated, the coin gets the FB mark, increasing its value a lot.
1966 Mintage Features and Rare Errors
Two special types and possible mistakes exist, offering higher value.
Special Mint Set Coins
In 1966, the US Mint made Special Mint Sets, used for collectors, these coins are better than normal coins.
They have a sharper strike and a stronger shine, but not the mirror look of Proof coins, and SMS coins were packaged differently — they are often found having fewer bag marks than regular MS coins.
Known Mint Errors
Mistakes made during production can greatly increase the coin’s value. Main errors for the 1966 dime are:
- Doubled Die: Details can look double when the die is stamped more than once, creating an odd image.
- Off-Center Strike: Coin is not struck in the center, value depends on how much it is off.
- Broadstrike: The diameter is wider, making the edge smooth instead of reeded.
- Clipped Planchet: A coin made from a blank that was cut wrong, leaving a curved missing piece on the edge.
Market Value by Grade
| Sheldon Grade | Average Value (USD) |
| G-4 | $0.15 – $0.30 |
| F-12 | $0.30 – $0.50 |
| XF-40 | $1.00 – $1.50 |
| MS-63 | $5.00 – $8.00 |
| MS-65 (No FB) | $10.00 – $15.00 |
| MS-65 (FB) | $40.00 – $80.00 |
| MS-66 (FB) | $90.00 – $150.00 |
| MS-67 (FB) | $300.00 – $600.00 |
| SP-67 (SMS) | $150.00 – $300.00 |
| SP-68 (SMS) | $700.00 – $1,500.00 |
Storage and Handling Rules
Storage Materials
- Avoid PVC: You must not store coins in soft plastic holders containing PVC as it releases chemicals causing green damage to the surface.
- Better Materials: Use non-PVC plastic holders or hard plastic capsules made for coins.
- Slab: High grade coins should be put in sealed plastic holders provided by numismatic companies, and slabbing proves the grade and stops physical damage, giving buyers confidence.
Coin Handling
- Contact: Finger contact causes stains and lowers the surface quality, so gloves are best for touching any part of the coin.
- Cleaning: Cleaning causes scratches and removes the original surface, making the value drop.
- Toning: Sometimes a coin changes color over time, creating a natural patina, it can increase the value.
Environment
Store coins in a stable place, away from quick changes in heat and water, remember that high humidity causes metal damage, shown as color spots — a cool, dry place is best for keeping the coin safe.
Conclusion
So, having the same coin but of different quality, numismatists can get different benefits — it would seem that the coin is the same, but appearance matters, one small task and hundreds of dollars have gone away from you.
Therefore, be careful and do not cause new flaws so that your token does not completely drop in value.
