Junk 90% Silver Dimes | $1 Face Value

Ten Dimes, One Dollar, Real Silver

This lot delivers $1 in face value of 90% silver Roosevelt dimes, ten coins struck by the US Mint between 1946 and 1964. Junk silver like this trades close to melt, divides into small units, and carries a design every American recognizes on sight. Ten dimes, $1 face value, 90% silver.

Honoring the March of Dimes

The obverse carries John R. Sinnock’s left-facing portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt, released January 30, 1946, on what would have been Roosevelt’s 64th birthday. The Mint chose him for the dime because he’d suffered from polio and helped found the charity that became the March of Dimes. The reverse centers on a torch flanked by an olive branch for peace and an oak branch for strength. Released on Roosevelt’s birthday, timed to the March of Dimes campaign.

Specifications

Each dime is struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, for about 0.715 troy ounces of silver per $1 face value across the ten coins. The coins measure 17.9 mm across with a reeded edge. 0.715 troy ounces per dollar is the industry-standard figure, not the coins’ exact mint weight. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.

A Note on Wear and Condition

These are circulated coins that passed through decades of pocket change before reaching a stack, so wear is normal and expected. Full legends and dates remain legible on every coin, while the high points, Roosevelt’s cheek and hair, show the smoothing that circulation leaves behind. Our part in it: we do not dip or clean the coins we sell, so what you receive reflects genuine circulation wear, not an artificial brightening. Wear is normal here, not a defect to worry about.

Roosevelt Dime FAQ

What does “$1 face value” mean here?

It means the coins add up to $1 in old US currency, not $1 in what you’d pay today. At $1 face value, that’s ten 90% silver dimes, since each one carries a $0.10 denomination. Face value sets the count, not the price you pay.

How much actual silver is in this lot?

About 0.715 troy ounces of pure silver across the ten dimes, the industry-standard figure for $1 face value of 90% silver. The coins’ exact mint weight works out closer to 0.723 ounces, and the lower figure accounts for the metal that decades of circulation wear off. 0.715 ounces is the standard, adjusted down for circulation wear.

What condition are these coins in?

Circulated, meaning these passed through decades of pocket change before reaching a stack. Full legends and dates stay legible, and the high points show the smoothing normal for coins this age. Condition is circulated, not a fresh, unhandled strike.

Will I get a specific date or mint mark?

No, dates and mint marks are our choice based on available inventory, and coins may vary from any specific dates pictured. Date and mint mark vary, only the face value and silver content are fixed.

Why do some of these dimes carry the initials “JS”?

Those are designer John R. Sinnock’s initials, placed near Roosevelt’s portrait. When the coin debuted in 1946, some buyers mistook the initials for a hidden nod to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, a rumor the Mint publicly denied at the time. JS credits the designer, not a wartime rival.

Want other 90% silver denominations? Browse our full 90% Silver Dimes selection.

Ready to add constitutional silver to your stack? Add this $1 Face Value Roosevelt Dime lot to your cart.