1959 Roosevelt Dime Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
The 1959 Roosevelt Dime is a 90% silver coin that still turns up in old collections and coin rolls. A guide from USA Coin Book places ordinary circulated examples around $5.81 at the G4 grade, with uncirculated MS65 pieces listed near $12.26.
Proof strikes come in around $9.87 at PR65. Silver content supports a baseline, but special varieties and errors can push values higher for the right coin.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1959 Roosevelt Dime
Snap clear photos of both the front and back of your 1959 dime and upload them to our identifier. This gives you a preliminary identification of the mint, general condition, and any visible variety markers.
It is not a substitute for professional authentication or grading, but it is a solid first step before you dig deeper.
1959 Roosevelt Dime Value
Upload both sides of your 1959 Roosevelt Dime.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1959 Roosevelt Dime Versions Are Worth Money?
- Philadelphia and Denver business strikes in original, uncirculated condition with Full Bands designation can bring stronger prices than typical survivors.
- Philadelphia proof issues with fully mirrored fields and undisturbed surfaces; cameo contrast examples are assessed separately.
- The D Over Inverted D repunched mintmark on Denver strikes is a recognized variety; one MS67 example sold for $183.38.
- Obverse die breaks on 1959-D strikes can carry a premium depending on severity and authentication.
- Defective planchet errors on Philadelphia strikes are scarce and individually assessed by condition and error extent.
Step 1: Identify Your 1959 Roosevelt Dime Mint Mark and Version
Every regular-issue 1959 dime is struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing about 2.50 grams and measuring roughly 17.9 mm across. The obverse shows Roosevelt's portrait with the date below.
The reverse features a torch flanked by olive and oak branches.
Mintmarks sit near the base of the torch on the reverse. Philadelphia coins carry no mintmark; Denver coins show a small "D." That D is worth a close look: a recognized D-over-inverted-D repunched mintmark variety exists for this year.
Do not confuse a weak or tilted mintmark with a true repunched variety. Under magnification, a repunched D will show traces of the earlier, inverted impression beneath the final letter.
An ordinary soft D is just a tired die.
Step 2: Check Your 1959 Roosevelt Dime Grade
Start with the cheek and jawline on the obverse. These are the highest points and the first to show friction.
Even light wear here will knock a coin out of Mint State.
Next, check the hair detail above the ear. On the reverse, inspect the horizontal bands of the torch and the leaf tips.
Use the comparison image to match your coin's wear against known grade examples.
Tilt the coin under a single light source. Unbroken cartwheel luster across the fields signals a coin that has not circulated.
A coin that looks bright but lacks luster may have been cleaned; hairlines from cleaning reduce the grade and the value.
Full Bands is a strike designation, not a grade. It refers to clear separation of both horizontal band pairs on the torch.
A coin can be MS65 without Full Bands, or MS63 with them. Always compare coins of the same grade and designation together.
Step 3: Check 1959 Roosevelt Dime Value by Mint and Version
1959 Roosevelt Dime — No Mintmark / Philadelphia Business Strike
The 1959 Philadelphia business strike carries no mintmark. It is a 90% silver coin weighing 2.50 grams.
USA Coin Book lists a guide value of about $5.81 at G4 and around $12.26 at MS65.
Look for original, untampered surfaces. Coins with full separation of both torch band pairs earn the Full Bands designation, which is tracked separately from the numeric grade.
Compare only coins of the same mint, grade, and designation when estimating value. Silver melt value provides a floor for even well-worn examples.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
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Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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XF 45
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Coin Identifier AU AU 50
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AU 53
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AU 55
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AU 58
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Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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MS 70
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1959 Roosevelt Dime — D Mintmark Business Strike
Denver-minted 1959-D dimes show a small "D" beside the torch base. Guide values from USA Coin Book sit around $5.81 at G4 and $12.26 at MS65, matching the Philadelphia issue.
Before setting this one aside as ordinary, examine the mintmark closely. A recognized D-over-inverted-D repunched variety exists for this date.
That said, most 1959-D dimes are perfectly common. Stick with original surfaces and compare within the same grade and Full Bands designation for accurate value comparisons.
Coin Value Lookup is a good starting point if you are working through a batch of Roosevelt dimes and want quick access to year-by-year guides.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
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Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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XF 45
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Coin Identifier AU AU 50
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AU 53
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AU 55
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AU 58
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Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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MS 70
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1959 Roosevelt Dime — No Mintmark / Philadelphia Proof
Philadelphia also struck proof dimes in 1959, sold in proof sets to collectors. These carry no mintmark, just like the business strikes, so finish is the distinguishing feature.
Proofs have deeply mirrored fields and sharp, squared-off rims.
USA Coin Book places a standard PR65 proof around $9.87. Coins with frosted devices contrasting against mirror fields are described as cameo and are assessed on their own terms.
Preserve the original proof surfaces; do not clean or dip these coins. Fingerprints and haze on proof surfaces reduce eye appeal and lower grades quickly.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PR PR 1
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PR 3
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PR 4
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PR 6
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PR 8
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PR 10
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PR 12
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PR 15
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PR 20
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PR 25
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PR 30
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PR 35
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PR 40
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PR 45
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PR 50
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PR 53
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PR 55
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PR 58
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PR 60
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PR 61
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PR 62
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PR 63
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PR 64
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PR 65
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PR 66
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PR 67
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PR 68
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PR 69
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PR 70
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1959 Roosevelt Dime Error List
1. 1959 Roosevelt Dime — Obverse Die Break
This error appears on 1959-D business strikes. A crack in the working die allows metal to flow into the gap during striking, leaving a raised irregular line or blob on the finished coin.
It replaces or distorts normal design detail on the obverse.
To confirm, look for raised metal that follows no design element. The break will appear in the same location on every coin struck from that cracked die.
Make sure the date and D mintmark are visible for attribution.
Do not confuse a die break with an incuse scratch or post-mint damage. Scratches are recessed into the surface; die breaks are raised.
Corrosion or contact marks can mimic a break in photos, so examine the coin in hand under magnification. No standard price range is adopted for this error; value depends on the severity of the break, overall coin condition, and third-party authentication.
2. 1959 Roosevelt Dime — Defective Planchet
A defective planchet error has been documented on 1959 Philadelphia business strikes. The flaw originates in the blank itself, before the coin was struck.
It can show up as a lamination crack, void, or irregular surface where the metal did not form properly during preparation of the planchet.
Both sides of the coin will usually show evidence of the defect, since the flaw existed before the dies impressed the design. Check that the affected area is consistent with a pre-strike condition rather than post-mint damage.
Later scratches, corrosion pitting, and deliberate gouges can look similar in photos. A genuine planchet defect typically has a different texture and follows the metal's internal structure rather than a random surface scratch.
No supported price range is adopted here; each example is individually assessed based on authenticated identity, condition, and the extent of the defect.
3. 1959 Roosevelt Dime — D Over Inverted D
The D Over Inverted D is a repunched mintmark variety found on 1959-D business strikes. When the mintmark was applied to the working die, it was first punched upside down, then corrected with a second, upright impression.
The result is traces of the inverted D visible beneath the final letter.
Under magnification, look at the lower portion of the D on the reverse. Remnants of the earlier, flipped punch will appear as extra serifs or notching that do not belong to a normal D.
This is a die-level variety, meaning every coin struck from that die carries the same feature.
Do not confuse this with machine doubling, which produces a flat, shelf-like appearance without the depth of a true repunch. One archived MS67 example sold for $183.38, but that reflects a single high-grade specimen, not the value of a typical 1959-D dime.
Lower grades and less clearly defined examples will be assessed differently.
4. 1959 Roosevelt Dime — Doubled Die Obverse
A Doubled Die Obverse has been reported for the 1959 dime. This type of error occurs when misalignment during die production impresses design elements twice, slightly offset, into the die itself.
Every coin struck from that die inherits the same doubling.
Compare the obverse lettering and date on your coin against a normal 1959 dime under the same lighting. Genuine doubled dies show consistent separation or notching on affected letters and digits, visible at moderate magnification.
Machine doubling is the most common lookalike. It produces a flat, shelf-like distortion without the rounded, raised profile of a true doubled die.
Worn dies and odd reflections can also fool you in photos. No numerical price range is adopted for this variety; value depends on the specific die, the visibility of the doubling, and the coin's overall condition.
Third-party authentication is the safest path to confirmation.
