1930 Dime Value (2026 Guide): Errors List, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

The 1930 Mercury Dime — formally known as the Winged Liberty Head dime — is one of those quietly compelling coins that consistently turns heads in the numismatic world.

The real story lies in condition and mint origin. A heavily circulated example trades for roughly $5.58, while a well-preserved uncirculated specimen can easily surpass $40.

Move up the grading scale — a Philadelphia-mint coin in MS-63 can be purchased for around $60, while a San Francisco example in the same grade commands closer to $160. At the very top, a 1930-S graded MS-67 can reach as high as $1,590 at auction.

Minted on the eve of the Great Depression, the 1930 dime carries both historical weight and genuine collector appeal. Understanding the full picture of 1930 Dime Value — from mint marks to grading standards — is exactly where to start.

 

1930 Dime Value By Variety

Your 1930 dime’s value starts with one small detail: the mint mark. If you know the grade of your coin, you can find the exact price below in the Value Guides section.

Also Read: Top 70+ Most Valuable Mercury Dimes Worth Money (Chart By Year)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1930 Dime Worth Money

FB (Full Bands) designation is where the real money lives. The top two spots — a 1930-S FB 67 at $16,450 and a 1930 FB 67 at $14,688 — dwarf everything else on the chart, and that gap is no accident.

In numismatics, Full Bands refers to the complete, sharply struck horizontal bands on the fasces (the bundled rods) on the coin’s reverse. It sounds like a minor detail, but it’s actually a direct window into strike quality.

A clean FB designation signals that the dies were fresh, the strike pressure was optimal, and the coin left the mint essentially flawless. That combination is genuinely rare on 1930 issues, which makes top-graded FB examples fiercely competitive at auction.

What’s also worth noting is the steep drop-off once you move down the grade scale. From MS 67 FB at $16,450 to FB 66 at $4,080 — that single point of grade represents a 75% collapse in value. This is the classic “condition rarity” effect: the coins themselves aren’t scarce, but specimens that survived 90+ years without a single significant mark absolutely are.

 

History of the 1930 Dime

The Mercury dime was born out of ambition. In 1892, the Barber dime had served the nation for over two decades, but by the Wilson administration, Treasury Secretary William McAdoo recognized that the 25-year design limit on minor silver coinage was approaching — and saw an opportunity. The result was one of the most celebrated redesigns in American numismatic history.

Designed by German-born sculptor Adolph A. Weinman, the coin depicted Lady Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap — an image so enduring that the U.S. Mint revisited it for its first Palladium Eagle in 2017. The winged cap was meant to symbolize freedom of thought, though the public quickly mistook the feminine portrait for the Roman god Mercury, and the name stuck.

By 1930, the coin had been in circulation for 14 years — and the country it served had changed dramatically. The United States was descending into the Great Depression, bringing with it a drastically reduced need for new coinage.

With the onset of the Depression, mintages dropped sharply, and dime production was suspended entirely in both 1932 and 1933. The 1930 dime, struck at the edge of that economic collapse, captures a nation mid-fall — which is precisely what gives it such a compelling place in the series.

Also Read: Mercury Dime Coin Value (1916-1945)

 

Is Your 1930 Dime Rare?

Most 1930 dimes are common — but a few varieties are genuinely worth a second look, and the fastest way to find out which one you have is to check it in the CoinValueChecker App.

 

Key Features of the 1930 Dime

Few coins pack as much intentional symbolism into a ten-cent piece as the 1930 Mercury Dime, where every design element — from the winged Phrygian cap to the bound fasces — was chosen with purpose.

The Obverse of the 1930 Dime

The obverse presents the head of Liberty facing left, her hair swept up beneath a winged Phrygian cap.

The inscription “LIBERTY” arcs widely above her portrait, “IN GOD WE TRUST” sits to the left, and the date anchors the base.

The winged cap was consistently mistaken by the public and press for the Roman messenger god Mercury — an attribution that stuck despite the figure being unmistakably female.

Weinman’s initials “AW” appear subtly to the right of the portrait, and it is widely believed that Elsie Kachel Stevens — wife of poet Wallace Stevens and a tenant of Weinman’s — served as the model for Liberty’s likeness.

The Reverse of the 1930 Dime

The reverse is anchored by a Roman fasces: an axe bound to a bundle of rods, with an olive branch intertwined around it.

The pairing was intentional — the fasces represented strength and readiness, while the olive branch signaled a nation’s desire for peace.

The mint mark, when present, appears on the reverse near the base of the fasces — an “S” for San Francisco, or absent entirely for Philadelphia issues.

Other Features of the 1930 Dime

Many Mercury dimes left the mint without being fully struck, meaning design detail was lost before the coins ever entered circulation.

On exceptionally well-struck examples, the horizontal bands crossing the fasces remain fully separated and clearly defined — a distinction graders designate as “Full Bands” (FB).

On 1930 issues, a clean FB designation is genuinely difficult to find, which explains why it commands such a dramatic premium over non-FB counterparts of identical grade.

Also Read: Top 100 Rarest Dimes Worth Money (Most Expensive)

 

1930 Dime Mintage & Survival Data

The mintage gap between the two 1930 issues is substantial — Philadelphia outproduced San Francisco by nearly 4 to 1. Yet when you shift focus from production to survival, that advantage largely evaporates.

Despite its smaller original mintage, the 1930-S actually posts a higher survival rate (0.38%) than its Philadelphia counterpart (0.12%). This counterintuitive outcome is a classic pattern in Depression-era coinage.

Coins struck at branch mints in smaller quantities were more likely to be set aside by collectors and regional savers, while the more abundant Philadelphia issues circulated freely and wore down into numismatic obscurity.

What the raw survival numbers don’t reveal is the quality of those survivors. An estimated 8,000 Philadelphia examples and 7,000 San Francisco pieces may have endured — but the vast majority did so in circulated grades. Gem-quality survivors, particularly those with a Full Bands designation, represent only a thin sliver of that already tiny pool.

To put it in perspective: of the nearly 8.6 million 1930 dimes originally struck, fewer than 15,000 are believed to exist today in any condition. That’s a combined attrition rate of over 99.8% — a quiet reminder of just how fragile a coin’s survival across nine decades truly is.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Roosevelt Dimes Worth Money List (Year Chart)

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1930 Dime Value

Pinning down an accurate value for your 1930 dime comes down to three things: mint mark, grade, and whether the reverse shows Full Bands. Miss any one of them and your estimate could be off by hundreds of dollars. Run your coin through the CoinValueChecker App  for an instant read — then focus on condition, because that’s where the real spread lives.

 

1930 Dime Value Guides

• 1930 No Mint Mark Dime (Philadelphia)
• 1930-S Dime (San Francisco)

The 1930 dime was struck at just two facilities — a direct consequence of the Great Depression’s stranglehold on coin demand. Denver, which had contributed to earlier Mercury dime production, sat idle that year entirely. That absence alone makes 1930 a notable date in the series, and the difference between a Philadelphia and San Francisco example is anything but trivial when it comes to value.

 

1930 No Mint Mark Dime Value

The Philadelphia issue carries no mint mark — a longstanding convention of the mother mint — and represents the more accessible of the two 1930 varieties.

1930 stands out as one of its notable low-mintage years — a date that trades at a premium in higher grades rather than in circulated condition.

What makes the Philadelphia 1930 genuinely compelling to advanced collectors is not availability, but condition rarity. Gem-quality survivors displaying silver-white satin luster with surfaces clean of contact marks are seldom offered, and when they do appear, serious competition follows.

In circulated grades, the coin is relatively affordable — a Fine example typically trades in the single digits — but the spread above MS64 is steep.

The all-time auction record for a Philadelphia 1930 dime stands at $1,740, achieved by an MS67+ example sold through Heritage Auctions in September 2020.

Grade is everything with this coin. Here’s what buyers have actually paid, from well-worn pocket change to the rare gem examples that almost never come up.

The market performance of this cryptocurrency over the past year has been relatively volatile.

 

1930-S Dime Value

The 1930-S is the more coveted of the two issues, and for good reason.

While not in the same tier as outright key dates like the 1916-D or 1921-D, the 1930-S occupies an important position as a semi-key date for collectors building high-grade Mercury dime sets — particularly at MS65 and above, where examples are genuinely scarce.

The “S” mint mark sits on the reverse just below the fasces, and its presence alone shifts the coin’s ceiling considerably. PCGS has certified just 9 examples in MS67, with NGC adding only 4 — a combined population that underscores just how rare true gem survivors are.

Add the Full Bands designation and the numbers get even tighter. The all-time auction record for the 1930-S stands at $16,450, set by a PCGS MS67FB example sold at Heritage Auctions in January 2016.

For context, an MS63 non-FB example trades for roughly $160 to $200, meaning the jump from mid-grade to a certified gem with Full Bands represents a value multiplier of nearly 100x.

Few Depression-era dimes show a price curve this steep. Here’s the full auction picture, grade by grade.

The 1930-S has a devoted collector base and a shallow pool of quality specimens. The numbers below show exactly what that combination does to the market.

Also Read: 16 Rare Dime Errors List with Pictures (By Year)

 

Rare 1930 Dime Error List

The mint doesn’t advertise its mistakes. Here’s what to look for on a 1930 dime.

1. Off-Center Strike

An off-center strike occurs when the planchet is misaligned with the dies at the moment of impact, causing the design to print displaced from the coin’s center.

The degree of misalignment can range from a barely noticeable 1% shift to a dramatic 99% — but the sweet spot for collectors is the 10–20% range, where the full date remains visible while a crescent of blank planchet is clearly exposed.

On a 1930 dime, preserving the complete date is critical for authentication and significantly affects the realized price. Off-center examples in this range typically sell for $150–$500, with higher-grade specimens commanding more. A coin that loses the date entirely drops sharply in value regardless of the error’s drama.

2. Doubled Die Obverse (DDO)

Doubled die obverse errors result from misalignment during the die-making process, when the hub impression is applied more than once with a slight rotational or positional offset.

The result is a ghost-like duplication of design elements — most visibly affecting the date, “LIBERTY,” or the fine details of Liberty’s portrait and winged cap. Die manufacturing in the 1930s required multiple hub impressions to fully form each working die, making this era particularly susceptible to the error.

On 1930 issues, DDO examples are scarce and must be carefully distinguished from far more common — and worthless — mechanical doubling, which produces a flat, shelf-like shadow rather than a crisp secondary impression.

Genuine DDO examples on Depression-era Mercury dimes can fetch anywhere from $75 to several hundred dollars depending on the clarity of the doubling and overall grade.

3. Repunched Mintmark (RPM)

The repunched mintmark error occurs when mint workers punch the “S” mintmark into the working die twice, with the second application landing slightly offset from the first — creating a doubled or shadowed mintmark appearance.

On the 1930-S, this is the only variety where an RPM is possible, as Philadelphia issues carry no mint mark. In this era, mintmarks were hand-applied to individual working dies using small iron puncheons, and a single strike was not always sufficient — making a second, slightly misaligned punch an occupational inevitability.

The value depends heavily on how clearly the secondary impression separates from the primary. Common RPM varieties trade for $20–$50 in circulated grades, while strongly visible examples in uncirculated condition can reach $200–$300 or higher.

4. Lamination Error

A lamination error is a planchet defect rather than a striking error — it originates in the metal preparation process, when impurities or gas pockets trapped within the silver alloy cause the coin’s surface to crack, split, or peel after striking.

Lamination errors appear sporadically across all Mercury dime years and are collectible in Choice or better grades. On a 1930 dime, the telltale signs are flaking or lifting metal, often revealing fresh, unoxidized silver beneath — a clear signal the separation happened from within rather than from post-mint damage.

Minor examples with small surface splits typically bring $30–$60, while dramatic pieces with large missing sections or severe layering can reach $200–$350 or beyond at auction.

 

Where to Sell Your 1930 Dime?

Having established your coins’ value, you might be asking where to easily sell them online. I’ve put together a detailed list of recommended platforms, featuring their overviews, benefits, and limitations.

Check out now: Best Places To Sell Coins Online (Pros & Cons)

 

1930 Dime Market Trend

*Market Trend Chart showing the number of people paying attention to this coin.

 

FAQ about the 1930 Dime

1. How do I know if my 1930 dime is from Philadelphia or San Francisco?

Flip the coin to the reverse and look just below the fasces, near the bottom rim. An “S” mint mark indicates San Francisco; no mint mark at all means Philadelphia. It’s worth noting that no 1930 dimes were struck at Denver — so if you come across a coin that appears to be a 1930-D, it’s a counterfeit. This is actually a documented issue: post-WWII fakes struck in genuine silver have been found in circulation, which is another reason professional authentication matters for any unusual specimen.

2. Is a 1930 dime with no mint mark worth anything?

More than most people expect. Even a heavily worn Philadelphia example carries inherent silver value — the coin’s 90% silver composition gives it a melt floor that fluctuates with spot prices but generally sits in the $4–$5 range. Beyond that, collector demand pushes circulated examples into the $5–$20 range depending on grade. Cross into Extremely Fine territory and values climb toward $20–$40. In uncirculated condition, particularly MS64 and above, the price jumps sharply — and a gem-quality Philadelphia example with original luster and clean surfaces is genuinely hard to find, making it a coin that rewards patient hunters.

3. What does “Full Bands” mean and why does it matter?

Full Bands (FB) refers to the horizontal bands on the fasces on the reverse being fully separated, sharply struck, and uninterrupted across their entire width. It sounds subtle, but it’s one of the most consequential designations in the Mercury dime series. The problem is that many Mercury dimes — including 1930 issues — were not fully struck even when brand new, meaning the bands merged together before the coin ever left the mint. A clean FB designation tells you the dies were fresh, the strike pressure was optimal, and the coin is essentially a best-case example of what the mint could produce. On 1930 dimes, that combination is rare enough that FB examples can command 5x to 10x the price of an identical non-FB coin at the same grade level.

4. Which 1930 dime is rarer — Philadelphia or San Francisco?

It depends on what grade you’re chasing. The 1930-S had a significantly smaller production run and is universally considered the more desirable of the two. In circulated grades, the difference in value is noticeable but not dramatic. However, as you move into gem uncirculated territory — MS65 and above — the 1930-S becomes a genuinely difficult coin to source in quality. PCGS has certified just 9 examples at MS67, with NGC adding only 4 more, making top-grade 1930-S coins among the most population-restricted issues in the entire Mercury dime series. The Philadelphia issue, while more common overall, has its own condition rarity story at the very top of the grade scale.

5. Can a circulated 1930 dime still be valuable?

Yes, and more so than many collectors initially assume. The 1930-S in particular holds up well even in worn grades, trading above comparable Philadelphia examples at nearly every grade level. For both issues, the key is avoiding coins that have been cleaned — a cleaned circulated coin loses most of its collector premium and essentially trades at silver melt.

Original, problem-free circulated examples with honest wear and no cleaning are actually preferred by many collectors over artificially brightened pieces. If your coin shows even, natural wear with intact design elements and no evidence of polishing or chemical treatment, it’s in far better shape commercially than it might initially appear.

6. What’s the most a 1930 dime has ever sold for?

The all-time auction record belongs to a 1930-S graded PCGS MS67FB, which realized $16,450 at Heritage Auctions in January 2016. That result reflects the near-perfect storm of factors: the S mint mark, a gem grade that only 13 certified examples across PCGS and NGC have achieved, and the coveted Full Bands designation.

For context, the Philadelphia issue’s auction record sits at $1,740 for an MS67+ example sold through Heritage in September 2020 — impressive for a no-mint-mark coin, but a fraction of what the S counterpart commands at the very top. Both figures underscore how dramatically grade and designation can separate two coins that, on the surface, look nearly identical.

7. How can I tell if my coin has a genuine doubled die or just normal wear?

This is one of the most common points of confusion in Mercury dime collecting. A genuine Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) shows a crisp, rounded, fully three-dimensional secondary impression on design elements — typically visible in the date numerals, the lettering in “LIBERTY,” or the fine detail of Liberty’s portrait and wing. The doubling has depth and distinct edges.

Mechanical doubling — which is extremely common on Mercury dimes and adds zero collector value — produces a flat, shelf-like shadow with no real depth. The secondary image essentially looks smeared rather than duplicated. A quality 10x loupe under raking light is the minimum tool needed to make this distinction reliably. When in doubt, comparison with documented DDO varieties from reference resources like Wexler’s Doubled Die listings is the most reliable approach before drawing any conclusions.

8. Should I clean my 1930 dime before selling it?

This is probably the single most important piece of advice for anyone holding an old silver coin: never clean it. Cleaning — whether with polish, soap, acetone used improperly, or even a cloth — strips away the original surface luster and leaves behind hairline scratches that are immediately visible under magnification to any experienced grader or dealer.

PCGS and NGC will designate cleaned coins as “Details” grades, which removes them from the standard price tier and dramatically reduces realized prices. A naturally toned, original-surface 1930 dime in Fine condition will consistently outperform a cleaned example that looks superficially brighter. The patina that develops on a 90-year-old silver coin is not a flaw — it’s evidence of authenticity and undisturbed preservation.

9. Is it worth getting a 1930 dime professionally graded?

It depends on the coin. For heavily circulated examples worth $10–$30, the submission cost likely outweighs the benefit. But if your coin appears uncirculated, shows strong luster, has a potential Full Bands strike, or displays a suspected error variety, professional grading is absolutely worth pursuing.

Certified coins in PCGS or NGC holders consistently sell for premiums over raw examples, are far easier to authenticate for buyers, and open up access to higher-end auction platforms and dealer networks. For the 1930-S in particular, where a single grade point can mean the difference between a $200 coin and a $1,500 coin, professional certification is not just useful — it’s essential for realizing full market value.

10. Why did dime production drop so sharply in 1930?

The onset of the Great Depression fundamentally changed the demand for circulating coinage. As consumer spending collapsed and commercial activity contracted sharply, the U.S. Mint found itself with far more coins in circulation than the economy needed. Producing new coinage in large quantities made little sense when existing coins were sitting idle in bank vaults and mattresses alike.

The 1930 dime issues reflect that contraction directly — combined output from both mints fell well below the 30+ million coins Philadelphia alone had regularly produced in the 1920s. The situation only worsened from there: mintages continued to fall through 1931, and by 1932 and 1933, dime production had ceased entirely at all three mints. It remains one of the only periods in American history where no dimes were struck for two consecutive years.