1977-D Roosevelt Dime : History & Value

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

Coinage manufacturing on the United States Mint bought off to a rocky begin in January 1977, as a pure gasoline scarcity gripped a lot of the nation. All through Pennsylvania, most factories had been shuttered as winter climate blanketed the state and made gasoline deliveries almost not possible. When Mint management made the choice to close down its die slicing operations in Philadelphia, the consequence was a cessation of the Mint’s coin-producing operations all through the nation.

On February 9, 1977, Frank H. MacDonald, then Deputy Director of the Mint, introduced that the Denver facility would stop manufacturing; two days later, the department mint in Colorado shut down. Whereas open-ended, the stoppage was anticipated to final no a couple of or two months.

Throughout this break, the Denver Mint underwent a collection of upgrades, together with the modernization of its one- and five-cent coin-production equipment and the set up of a state-of-the-art CCTV surveillance and alarm system. However regardless of these enhancements, the constructing itself was almost 100 years previous. Nonetheless, the Treasury Division was hesitant to ask Congress for a second spherical of funding to construct a substitute facility. This was crucial as a result of whereas $65 million had been appropriated for the duty by the Home of Representatives throughout the 94th Congress (1975-77), the Senate Banking Committee refused to think about the invoice.

In the meantime, the three services at Philadelphia, West Level, and Denver fired a mixed 117 workers.

On account of these disruptions, the issuance of dimes on the Denver Mint was diminished by nearly 46% from the earlier yr. It wouldn’t be till 1980 that Denver struck a mintage of dimes equal to that of 1976. At Philadelphia, the mintage of dimes was up in 1977.

The 1977-D Roosevelt Dime in Right now’s Market

Examples designated Full Bands (FB) (utilized by PCGS) or Full Torch (FT) (NGC) maintain a dramatic premium over their customary grade counterparts.

In MS67, the best graded FB instance, the 1977-D Roosevelt Dime is value simply over $1,000; merely one grade decrease at MS66, cash with the FB designation are value roughly $150. The worth drops to $25 for examples graded MS65 and to between $10 and $20 for MS63 and MS64-graded examples. Because of the grading necessities for FB examples, the bottom grade potential for this designation is MS60. In that grade, the 1977-D Roosevelt Dime is valued at $5 to $7.

Apparently, the one MS69 for this kind can be an obverse die cap error. Because of the uniface nature of this piece, it could actually’t probably earn the FB designation. This error has repeatedly offered for simply over $1,700 and at present holds the public sale report for this kind. The excessive worth of this piece is due partly to its standing as an error, and partly to its wonderful situation. This should be true, as a result of two grades decrease in MS67, the value plummets to lower than $100. In reality, this grade is value between $50 and $60. At one grade decrease, in MS66, the 1977-D is value between $10 and $15. In MS64 and MS65, whereas a number of have not too long ago offered for as much as $6, the true worth for this grade is simply $1. Examples between MS60 and MS63 are fairly widespread and command a worth someplace between $1 and face worth.

As a circulating coin with a big mintage of 376,607,228 items, non-Mint State examples don’t have any numismatic premium and are value solely face worth. That stated, Mint State dimes do maintain a premium.

This coin is accessible additionally as a part of the 1977 Uncirculated Mint Set, which was offered by the Mint for $7 beginning on September 1, 1977. As of December 2024, these units will be bought for between $5 and $10.

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Market Knowledge and Noteworthy Specimens

High Inhabitants: PCGS MS67FB (4, 12/2024), NGC MS67FT (17, 12/2024), and CACG N/A (12/2024).

• PCGS MS67FB #21518742: “The Maltese Assortment,” Heritage Auctions, October 18, 2020, Lot 7238 – $1,020.
• PCGS MS67FB #90112077: “The Maltese Assortment,” Heritage Auctions, October 20, 2020, Lot 25606 – $1,020.
• NGC MS67FT #2542756-005: “The Centurion Assortment,” GreatCollections, June 3, 2018 – View; GreatCollections, December 2, 2018 – View.
• PCGS MS68 #44391597: GreatCollections, February 20, 2022 – View.
• NGC MS67FT #2540100-002: Heritage Auctions, December 7, 2014, Lot 7441 – $211.50. Paul Kiraly #1 NGC Registry Roosevelt Dimes, Circulation Subject.
• PCGS MS67+ #25623136: Heritage Auctions, April 10, 2016, Lot 23113 – $94.
• PCGS MS67 #60024131: Heritage Auctions, March 29, 2004, Lot 382 – $75.90.

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Design

Obverse:

A lot of the obverse design consists of a left-facing bust of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Within the northwest quadrant, instantly in entrance of Roosevelt’s face, is the usual legend LIBERTY. Beneath the president’s chin, in smaller letters, is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. Straight beneath the neck truncation on the bust are the designer’s initials JS. Positioned at a barely greater line than the motto and to the designer’s initials proper is the date 1977. In contrast to earlier dimes struck earlier than 1967 which have the mintmark on the decrease reverse to the left of the torch, the D mintmark is on the obverse above the date 1977.

Reverse:

Centered within the reverse design is a flaming torch symbolizing liberty. The torch sits between the olive department of peace on the left and the oak department of victory on the suitable. Break up into 4 components between the branches and torch is the USA’s conventional motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. Because the phrases are divided as follows, E PLU / RIB / US U / NUM, there are centering dots between every phrase. This central design is totally surrounded by the phrases UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on the high and the marginally bigger denomination ONE DIME on the underside.

Edge:

The sting of the 1977-D Roosevelt Dime is reeded.

Designer

John R. Sinnock (1888-1947) served because the eighth Chief Engraver of america Mint from 1925 by his demise on Might 14, 1947. He’s chargeable for the designs of each the Roosevelt dime and the Franklin Half Greenback. Sinnock engraved the 1926 Sesquicentennial American Independence Half Greenback and gold $2.5, and he additionally helped sculpt the Military’s fashionable Purple Coronary heart Medal in 1932 for troopers wounded in fight.

Coin Specs

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