1949-S Roosevelt Dime

The 1949-S is one of the more elusive dates from the early years of the Roosevelt dime series, which began in 1946. While not as dramatic a rarity as some 19th-century keys, its modest mintage makes it noticeably harder to find in top condition than most other dates from the era.

Collectors assembling a complete Roosevelt dime set, especially in higher mint-state grades, often single out the 1949-S as one of the tougher pieces to locate with a sharp strike.

The Roosevelt dime replaced the Mercury dime in 1946, honoring President Franklin D. Roosevelt shortly after his death, in recognition of his association with the March of Dimes campaign against polio. The design was created by US Mint Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock.

In the late 1940s, silver dime production was allocated across the three operating mints based on regional commercial demand, and San Francisco's 1949 dime mintage was comparatively small. Most examples circulated for years before collectors began setting aside better-preserved coins.

The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt with LIBERTY above and IN GOD WE TRUST beside the bust, along with the date below. The reverse shows a torch flanked by an olive branch and an oak branch, symbolizing liberty, peace, and strength, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and ONE DIME around the rim.

The mintmark 'S' is found on the reverse, to the left of the torch base, above the 'E' in ONE. The coin is struck in 90% silver, is 17.9mm in diameter, and has a reeded edge, identical in specifications to other silver-era Roosevelt dimes.

Circulated 1949-S dimes trade close to silver bullion value or a modest premium, but mint-state examples, especially those with a fully struck torch (Full Bands), are considerably scarcer and bring stronger prices. Gem uncirculated pieces with sharp detail can be a genuine challenge to locate.

As with most Roosevelt dimes, value is heavily tied to strike quality and grade rather than rarity of survival in circulated grades, so collectors focused on quality sets pay the largest premiums for well-struck coins.