The Roosevelt Dime, The Unsung Hero

It's interesting that the silver set is a mere 48 pieces spanning only 19 years while the "clad" set is 184 coins struck over more than half a century.

Its not my favorite design, but It's my favorite series to collect because you can get some nice coins for an affordable price. A full silver set won't break the bank either. I think this series has a lot of upside but I don't know if it will ever "wake up." I think it will take a major design change to generate popularity. The upside to keeping the same design for 70 years, is that most people are familiar with this coin in circulation. Hopefully it will be nostalgic for folks in 25+ years from now and prices will rise (assuming they finally change the design).

Looking really good, davec13.

I did not want to add pages or upgrade the binder size (to keep adding even more pages) so I ended mine when the last page was full. I continue collecting them in a custom "ultra-modern" album with cents and nickels. When that one fills I will start another.

Force, I agree 100% with you! The other coins have been deflowered by mint hucksters trying to make an extra buck with all these new hideous obverses and reverses that don't match each other and just create chaos. The Roosy 10 cent has withstood the test of time and is looking just as handsome as ever. It's the little coin that could.

I am sorry but I will always stand up and vocalize for the FDR dime. This is primarily because of the advocacy of the march of dimes launched by him that resulted in the reclamation of not only enjoyment of summer for children in the USA but also helped fund research that has nearly eradicated polio on the planet.

I was, thankfully, not affected by polio but I did live around those that were.

I say continue with the obverse. I like Mercury dimes but, really, if you are that much in support of a Roman God of financial gain why not just put him on the $10 bill?

I think that if you put your mind toward the significance of the March of Dimes you can appreciate that collection of Roosevelt dimes might have the added obligation of recognizing that you might want to consider donation to a worthy cause.

If you don't want to collect them, then at least contribute them to a cause you are interested in.

I am also biased because I share a common ancestor with FDR so there is that.

I like the Roosevelt a great deal as a collectable. About 80% of the US population was born since its inception and more than 95% of collectors have grown up with the coin.

It has remained essentially unchanged other than the switch in materials, moving mint marks to the obverse and the introduction of the P and W mint marks. While the silvers were heavily collected even in BU and worn coins are mostly still with us the clads have not been very heavily saved, especially in choice condition. There are some very rare coins in the series from overmintmarks to proofs struck at the San Francisco mint without mintmarks. The mint even got caught failing to put a "P" on some of the 1982 dimes. Some neat varieties even show upin mint sets like the '69- D/D.

A complete set in chBU condition can be assembled for next to nothing and a Gem set can be done on a shoestring. Significant rarities exist in the series if you desire FB's or superb Gems. There are also a virtually complete set of PL's available with effort.

The series has never been verypopular even back in the silver days; people saved the coins much more than people collected them. This leaves open the near certainty that more varieties and rarities will be discovered.

It could be a while until enough interest exists to have much effect on prices but in the meantime you can pick up great coins for next to nothing.