1946 Dime Coin Value: Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

1946 Dime value ranges from $0.10 face value to $12,650. That record was a Grade 69 example sold through Superior Galleries in November 2004. Upload a photo of yours below for a quick value range based on condition and mint mark. Scroll down to check recent eBay sales and see what collectors are actually paying right now.

 

1946 Dime Value By Variety

Three mints struck the 1946 Roosevelt Dime, and each variety trades at different prices depending on condition. If you know your coin’s grade, jump to the Value Guides section for exact numbers.

Also Read: Roosevelt Dime Value (1946-Present)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1946 Dime Worth Money

The king of the chart is a 1946 Roosevelt Dime graded MS 69—near-perfect from the very first year of the series. It brought $12,650 at Superior Galleries in November 2004. Only one coin has ever graded that high, and I doubt we’ll see another.

Right behind it sits a 1946 MS 68 Full Bands that sold for $10,869 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in October 2015. Full Bands (FB) means the horizontal lines on the torch show complete separation—proof of a dead-on strike. That designation alone can multiply a coin’s price.

MS 68 prices swing wildly depending on the mint mark. A 1946-D Full Bands MS 68 (graded NGC MS68*) hit $4,888 at Heritage Auctions on July 12, 2007. A standard 1946 MS 68 runs about $2,588. The 1946-S MS 68 sits at $1,840, and a regular 1946-D MS 68 fetches around $1,000. There’s also a fun error on the list: a 1946-D/D RPM FS-501 in MS 67 Full Bands sold for $995 in 2021. First-year repunched mintmark varieties always draw specialist money.

 

History Of The 1946 Dime

Franklin D. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, just months before the end of World War II. The nation wanted to honor its four-term president quickly, and the dime was the obvious choice. Roosevelt had fought polio since 1921 and co-founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. Its famous fundraising drive—asking Americans to mail dimes to the White House—became the March of Dimes.

Representative James Hobson Morrison introduced legislation less than a month after Roosevelt’s death. President Truman signed it fast.

Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross tapped Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock for the job. He’d already sculpted a Roosevelt presidential medal back in 1933. His assistant, Gilroy Roberts—who’d later become Chief Engraver himself—did much of the hands-on model work.

Sinnock’s first plaster models, submitted October 12, 1945, got rejected by the Commission of Fine Arts (which had reviewed coin designs since a 1921 executive order by President Harding). The commission wanted a design competition among five big names, including Adolph A. Weinman (Mercury Dime) and James Earle Fraser (Buffalo Nickel). Director Ross said no—there wasn’t time.

Treasury Secretary Fred Vinson rejected revised models again in late December 1945. Sinnock made one last round of tweaks—swapping the positions of the date and LIBERTY so Roosevelt’s portrait could be enlarged—and the design finally got approved on January 8, 1946. Philadelphia struck the first Roosevelt dimes on January 19, 1946. They hit circulation on January 30, Roosevelt’s birthday.

Here’s a fun detail: two controversies erupted right after release. Anti-Communist groups noticed Sinnock’s initials “JS” below Roosevelt’s neck and claimed they stood for Joseph Stalin. That rumor persisted into the 1950s. Meanwhile, sculptor Selma Burke argued that Sinnock copied her 1945 bronze bas-relief of Roosevelt, unveiled at the Recorder of Deeds Building in Washington, D.C. Robert R. Van Ryzin analyzed both claims in his book on U.S. coin mysteries. A 1956 New York Times obituary credits photographer Marcel Sternberger with supplying the photograph Sinnock adapted, but too much time has passed to settle the dispute for good.

The 1946 Roosevelt Dime was the first regular-issue U.S. coin designed by a Mint employee in more than 40 years.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Roosevelt Dimes Worth Money List

 

Is Your 1946 Dime Rare?

Most circulated 1946 dimes are extremely common. That changes fast once you get into MS67 and above. The real surprise is the Full Bands split—coins without FB are plentiful in mid-Mint State grades, but FB examples at the same grade can be a completely different kind of rare. The 1946-S is the lowest mintage, yet the Philadelphia coin is actually harder to find at MS68. Check your coin’s specifics with the Coin Identifier and Value App for an accurate rarity assessment.

 

Key Features Of The 1946 Dime

Sinnock packed a lot of symbolism into a tiny coin. Knowing what to look for helps you spot fakes and grade accurately.

The Obverse Of The 1946 Dime

You’ll see Roosevelt facing left. “LIBERTY” arcs along the upper rim, and “IN GOD WE TRUST” appears in smaller letters below his chin. The date “1946” sits at the lower right. Look just below the neck truncation for Sinnock’s initials “JS”—those two letters caused a political firestorm back in the day.

Sinnock originally wanted the highest relief possible for a circulation dime. Numismatic author David Lange described the goal in a November 1999 article in The Numismatist as a “true sculptural quality.”

The Reverse Of The 1946 Dime

Flip it over and you’ll find three symbols arranged symmetrically. A flaming torch sits in the center for liberty. An olive branch on the left stands for peace. An oak branch on the right represents strength and independence.

“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” arcs along the top rim, “ONE DIME” appears at the bottom, and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” stretches across the field. On 1946 dimes, the “D” or “S” mint mark—when present—sits to the left of the torch’s base.

Now, look closely at the torch bands. This is where the money is. PCGS awards a “Full Bands” (FB) designation when the upper and lower horizontal bands show complete, clean separation on coins grading MS60 or better. NGC uses an even stricter standard called “Full Torch” (FT), which also requires well-defined vertical torch lines. A coin can earn PCGS FB but fail NGC FT.

Other Features Of The 1946 Dime

The 1946 dime measures 17.91 mm in diameter and weighs 2.50 grams. It’s 90% silver and 10% copper, with an actual silver weight (ASW) of 0.07234 troy ounces. The edge has 118 reeded ridges. These specs stayed the same for all silver Roosevelt dimes through 1964, when the Coinage Act of 1965 switched the composition to copper-nickel clad because silver was getting too expensive.

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

 

1946 Dime Silver Melt Value And Why It Matters

Every 1946 Roosevelt Dime contains 0.07234 troy ounces of pure silver. That sets a price floor no intact example should trade below. With silver prices elevated in early 2026, that floor sits at approximately $7.50 per coin—way up from the $1.80 to $2.00 range circulated examples traded at just a few years ago.

Even a beat-up 1946 dime with zero collector appeal is worth real money today. Silver stackers know this. It means common-date Roosevelt silver dimes hold meaningful value regardless of grade.

To figure your coin’s current melt value, multiply 0.07234 by the live silver spot price. Check APMEX or Coinflation for real-time numbers before you buy or sell.

 

1946 Dime Mintage & Survival Data

Total production across all three mints topped 344 million coins. Philadelphia alone struck 255,250,000—nearly 74% of the total and the sixth-highest single-year output in the entire silver Roosevelt series (1946–1964). Only the 1962-D, 1963-D, 1964-P, and 1964-D beat it.

Denver added 61,043,500 with the “D” mint mark. San Francisco came in lowest at 27,900,000. Here’s what’s interesting: all three varieties share roughly a 10% survival rate today. About 25.5 million Philadelphia dimes remain, 6.1 million Denver pieces survive, and around 2.8 million San Francisco coins still exist. That uniform rate tells you most 1946 dimes went straight into pockets and cash registers. The survivors were mostly coins tucked into bank rolls or pulled aside by early collectors.

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

 

The Easy Way To Know Your 1946 Dime Value

Start on the reverse near the torch base. You’re looking for a “D” (Denver), “S” (San Francisco), or nothing (Philadelphia). Then check the high points—Roosevelt’s hair on the obverse and the torch bands on the reverse. Wear shows up there first.

Grab at least 5x magnification and examine the torch bands closely. On a Full Bands coin, the upper and lower horizontal bands are fully separated from left to right with crisp, clean lines. On most circulated dimes, those bands look mushy or connected. For a fast, accurate value based on current market data, use the Coin Identifier and Value App to scan your coin.

 

1946 Dime Value Guides

• 1946 No Mint Mark (Philadelphia) — Struck at the main Philadelphia Mint with the highest production of 255,250,000 pieces. These coins carry no mint mark on the reverse. Despite massive mintage, high-grade survivors are scarce—PCGS had graded only one example at the MS68 level as of 2011.
• 1946-D (Denver) — Produced at the Denver Mint with 61,043,500 coins struck. The “D” mint mark appears on the reverse to the left of the torch base. In MS67, only a couple hundred examples are known; MS68 examples are rarer still, with none finer recorded at PCGS.
• 1946-S (San Francisco) — The San Francisco Mint created the lowest mintage at 27,900,000 pieces. The “S” mint mark sits near the torch’s left base. In MS67, approximately 500–1,000 examples are estimated to exist; in MS68, the PCGS CoinFacts entry notes probably no more than two dozen known.

Full Bands makes a huge difference across all three varieties. A complete date-and-mintmark set of silver Roosevelt dimes in MS67 Full Bands traded at $19,425 per the November 2021 PCGS Price Guide, compared to just $3,495 for the same set without Full Bands. That’s a 5.5x premium just for strike quality.

 

1946 No Mint Mark Dime Value

Over 255 million struck, and only one has ever graded MS68 at PCGS. That’s the kind of stat that makes you do a double-take. The Philadelphia issue is the most common 1946 dime in circulated grades—worth at least $7.50 today for silver content alone—but it becomes shockingly scarce at the top of the grading scale.

In MS67, you’re looking at roughly 150–250 known examples per PCGS CoinFacts estimates. Still not easy to find.

The auction records tell the story. A certified MS69 specimen hit $12,650 in 2004. A Full Bands MS68 realized $10,869 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in October 2015. Finding a Philadelphia dime that survived nearly 80 years in pristine, fully struck condition—everything had to go right.

Recent auction records demonstrate the range of prices across different grades and platforms.

Market activity tracking shows consistent monthly interest from buyers and sellers nationwide.

Market activity score: 53/100 as of Oct 2026 — down 2 points from Jul 2026. 12-month peak: 55 (Jul 2026).

 

1946-D Dime Value

How much does a mint mark matter? A standard 1946-D in MS68 brings about $1,000. Add Full Bands and an NGC star designation, and that jumps to $4,888—the price a NGC MS68* specimen reached at Heritage Auctions on July 12, 2007.

Denver struck 61,043,500 pieces, making it the middle child of the three mints. Circulated examples are everywhere, with a silver melt floor around $7.50 in early 2026. But the population thins out fast in higher grades. At MS66, a few thousand survive. At MS67, PCGS CoinFacts notes only a couple hundred known. None have been certified finer by PCGS. That’s the ceiling.

If you’re cherrypicking rolls or dealer junk-silver bins, the 1946-D is worth a close look under magnification. Any coin that might grade MS66 or better—especially with clean torch bands—deserves a trip to a grading service.

Historical sales data reveals pricing patterns for Denver Mint examples across certification services.

Trading volume data indicates steady collector participation throughout the year for this variety.

Market activity score: 43/100 as of Oct 2026 — down 7 points from Jul 2026. 12-month peak: 63 (Nov 2025).

 

1946-S Dime Value

At just 27,900,000 pieces, the 1946-S has the lowest mintage of the three. You’d expect it to be the priciest across the board—and in circulated grades, it does carry a slight edge. But at MS68, the Philadelphia coin is actually rarer. Mintage doesn’t always predict survival.

Like all 1946 dimes, circulated examples carry a silver melt floor of approximately $7.50 today. PCGS CoinFacts shows the population dropping fast in upper grades: a couple thousand at MS66, roughly 500–1,000 at MS67, and probably no more than two dozen at MS68 across all services.

A standard MS68 reached $1,840 in 2007. A Full Bands MS68 brought $5,819 that same year. We think the 1946-S in top-pop Full Bands is one of the better values in the early Roosevelt series—scarce, affordable relative to the Philadelphia MS68, and always in demand for registry sets.

Auction results document the performance of San Francisco varieties across different grade levels.

Monthly transaction data shows sustained collector interest in premium-quality San Francisco specimens.

Market activity score: 50/100 as of Oct 2026 — unchanged since Jul 2026. 12-month peak: 53 (Aug 2026).

1946-S Sans Serif MM FS-504 Dime Value

Most collectors don’t even know this variety exists. The standard 1946-S uses a “Trumpet Tail” font with decorative serifs—those ornamental curves at the ends of the letter strokes. The Sans Serif version has a simpler “S” with uniform line thickness and no decoration at all.

Three different mint mark punches are documented for 1946 San Francisco dimes. The Sans Serif punch reached very few dies. Certified population numbers sit in single digits across all grades.

An MS66 Full Bands specimen brought $999 in 2019. Even a lightly circulated AU58 example sold for $500 in 2015. If you’re sorting through raw 1946-S dimes, pull out a loupe and compare the “S” to known images. This is a true cherrypicking opportunity.

Monthly trading activity reflects the limited availability and specialized collector interest in this variety.

Market activity score: 33/100 as of Oct 2026 — unchanged since Jul 2026. Currently at its 12-month peak.

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

 

Rare 1946 Dime Error List

With over 344 million coins struck across three mints, a lot of working dies saw heavy use in 1946. That means more chances for misalignment and error. Several collectible varieties came out of it.

Doubled die errors (DDO = Doubled Die Obverse; DDR = Doubled Die Reverse) happen when the hub strikes the die slightly off-position during creation. Repunched Mintmarks (RPM) come from the old hand-punching process—a mint worker would tap the “D” or “S” into the die with a steel punch and mallet, then correct a weak or crooked first impression with a second blow.

1. 1946 DDO & DDR FS-101 Value

This is a two-for-one: both obverse and reverse doubling on the same coin. Look at the “B” and “E” in “LIBERTY”—you’ll see clear doubled images. The “6” in the date also shows visible separation under magnification. The reverse has doubling too, though it’s less dramatic.

Only five Mint State examples have been certified without Full Bands. An MS64 brought $750 at auction in 2021. That makes this one of the more valuable doubled die varieties for the date.

2. 1946 DDO (FS-102 To FS-104) Value

Three more doubled die obverse varieties exist for Philadelphia 1946 dimes. Each shows doubled letters on “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST,” but the strength varies.

FS-102 has moderate doubling visible under magnification. An MS65 sold for $210 in 2019. FS-103 shows a slightly different doubling pattern—an MS63 brought $115 in 2020. FS-104 is the weakest of the three. Both regular strikes and Full Bands examples exist across these varieties.

3. 1946-D/D RPM (FS-501 And FS-502) Value

These are repunched mintmark varieties from Denver. A mint worker stamped the “D” into the die, saw it was off, and punched again. That slight movement between strikes left a doubled mintmark image.

The FS-501 shows the repunching most clearly—the secondary impression looks lighter or thinner than the primary mark. A Full Bands MS67 reached $995 at auction in 2021. First-year RPMs always attract specialist collectors, and this one delivers.

4. 1946-S/S DDR & RPM (FS-501 And FS-502) Value

Two errors on one coin. That’s what makes these San Francisco varieties so popular with specialists. You get a repunched “S” mintmark plus a doubled die reverse—the doubling shows up best on the torch’s left side and the olive branch.

The finest known FS-501 in MS68 Full Bands brought $2,760 at Heritage Auctions on June 7, 2020. The FS-502 variety typically trades for less, but both are worth hunting for in raw groups of 1946-S dimes.

5. 1946-S/S RPM FS-503 Value

This one’s a straight repunched mintmark—no doubled die features. The secondary “S” sits in a different position from the primary mark, and you can spot it under magnification.

An MS67 sold for $120 in 2021. Not a headline price, but it’s an affordable entry point for anyone building a comprehensive 1946 error set. Worth cherrypicking if you’re going through San Francisco rolls.

 

Where To Sell Your 1946 Dime?

Ready to sell your 1946 dime? We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide on the best places to sell coins online, complete with pros and cons for each platform. Whether you choose auction sites, dealer networks, or specialized marketplaces, our detailed comparison will help you make an informed decision and maximize your coin’s value.

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

 

1946 Dime Market Trend

Market interest: 24,900 collectors tracking this coin as of Oct 2026 — up 1,000 from Mar 2026. 12-month peak: 25,980 (Jan 2026).

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

 

FAQ About The 1946 Dime Value

1. What is a 1946 dime worth in 2026?

A circulated 1946 dime is worth at least $7.50 in melt value based on its 0.07234 troy ounces of silver. Uncirculated MS65 examples run $15–$30. At the top end, an MS69 sold for $12,650. Full Bands (FB) coins with complete torch band separation can double or triple the value at any grade.

2. Is there anything special about a 1946 dime?

It’s the first year of the longest-running dime series in U.S. history—still in production today. Released on January 30, 1946 (Roosevelt’s 64th birthday), it honored FDR’s connection to the March of Dimes and was the first regular-issue coin designed by a Mint employee in over 40 years.

Two controversies followed: rumors the “JS” initials stood for Joseph Stalin, and sculptor Selma Burke’s claim that Sinnock copied her Roosevelt portrait.

3. Where is the mint mark on a 1946 silver dime?

On the reverse, to the left of the torch’s base. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark, Denver shows a “D,” and San Francisco displays an “S.” This reverse placement was standard through 1964. From 1968 onward, mint marks moved to the obverse above the date.

4. What does “Full Bands” mean on a 1946 dime, and why does it matter?

Full Bands (FB) refers to the horizontal bands at the center of the torch on the reverse. When a coin got a strong strike from a fresh die, those upper and lower bands separate cleanly across the torch’s full width.

PCGS awards “FB” to coins MS60 or better showing this separation. NGC uses the stricter “Full Torch” (FT) standard that also requires sharp vertical torch lines. An FB-designated 1946 dime can be worth two to five times more than a non-FB example at the same grade.

5. How do I check if my 1946 dime is silver?

Look at the edge. A genuine 1946 silver dime shows a solid silver-colored edge with no copper stripe. (That stripe only appears on post-1964 clad dimes.) You can also slide a strong rare-earth magnet across the surface—silver is non-magnetic and creates a slow “eddy current” drag, while copper-nickel lets the magnet slide freely. All 1946 Roosevelt dimes are 90% silver and 10% copper.

6. What are the scarcest 1946 dimes by population?

The 1946 Philadelphia in MS68 tops the list—only one graded by PCGS as of 2011. The 1946-S in MS68 has “probably no more than 2 dozen known.” In MS67, populations are thin: roughly 150–250 for the 1946-P, a couple hundred for the 1946-D, and 500–1,000 for the 1946-S. Full Bands examples at those grades are rarer still.

7. Who designed the 1946 Roosevelt Dime, and was there a design controversy?

Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock, with major help from assistant Gilroy Roberts (later Chief Engraver himself). The design went through three rejected drafts before approval on January 8, 1946. After release, sculptor Selma Burke claimed Sinnock’s portrait was based on her 1945 bronze bas-relief of Roosevelt.

A 1956 New York Times obituary credited photographer Marcel Sternberger’s image as Sinnock’s source, but researcher Robert R. Van Ryzin concluded the matter was never fully resolved.

8. Are 1946 dime errors worth more than regular strikes?

Much more. A standard 1946-D in MS65 might bring $15–$30, but a 1946-D/D Repunched Mintmark (RPM FS-501) in MS67 Full Bands reached $995 in 2021. The 1946-S/S DDR & RPM FS-501 in MS68 Full Bands—two errors on one coin—sold for $2,760 at Heritage Auctions in June 2020. Dual-error San Francisco varieties are especially prized.

9. Should I get my 1946 dime professionally graded by PCGS or NGC?

If your coin looks MS65 or better, or might qualify for Full Bands, it’s worth the $20–$50 grading fee. Certification can add hundreds or thousands in top grades. For heavily circulated coins worth only melt value ($7.50 in early 2026), grading costs will eat up any potential upside.

10. How does silver price affect the value of a 1946 dime?

Every 1946 Roosevelt Dime contains 0.07234 troy ounces of pure silver. With silver at approximately $104 per ounce in January 2026, even a worn example has a built-in melt floor of roughly $7.50. That’s up dramatically from below $2.00 just a few years ago. For common circulated examples, melt value is now the dominant pricing factor—numismatic premiums stack on top of that floor.