Dime Coin

 

The dime coin is one of the most popularly collected United States coins, and has a face value of ten cents or a tenth of a dollar. It is the smallest in diameter and thinnest coin minted for circulation, with the current coins containing a picture of Franklin D. Roosevelt on the front and an olive branch, torch, and oak branch on the back.

 

The first dime coin to be circulated was called the Draped Bust, which was minted between 1796 and 1807. It contained the same obverse and reverse as other coins in circulation at the same time, which was referred to as the Draped Bust/Small Eagle design. The first dime coins of 1796 were minted with 15 stars on the reverse, representing the current 15 states. The first 1797 dimes were minted with 16 stars to represent Tennessee’s admission, but the design was then changed back to only thirteen stars to represent the thirteen original colonies. This was done because it was believed the coin would become too cluttered by adding a star for each new state, so 1797 dime coins are available with either 13 or 16 stars.

 

Five additional designs of the dime coin were tried out over the years, until the Roosevelt was introduced in 1946. It is the same coin that is now currently in circulation in the United States, and was created to honor Franklin D. Roosevelt and the role he played in developing the March of Dimes. Although current dime coins are only worth their face value, older versions are highly collectible and worth much more than a tenth of a dollar.