1949 Dime Value Checker: Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

1949 Dime value ranges from $0.10 face value to $13,200. That record was a Grade 68 example sold through Stack’s Bowers in August 2018. 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.

 

1949 Dime Value By Variety

Here’s a breakdown of all three 1949 Roosevelt Dime varieties — Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco — with and without Full Bands, sorted by grade. If you already know your coin’s grade, jump to the Value Guides section for exact pricing.

Also Read: Roosevelt Dime Value (1946-Present)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1949 Dime Worth Money

The king of the hill is a 1949 Philadelphia MS68 FB that brought $13,200 at Stack’s Bowers in August 2018. What makes that sale fascinating is that Philadelphia isn’t the key date — the 1949-S holds that title. But everything had to go right on this particular coin: razor-sharp Full Bands, gorgeous toning, and flawless surfaces. It beat out the 1949-S MS68 FB at $6,000 and the 1949-D MS68 FB at $5,635.

That tells you something important about this series. Mintage matters, but at the MS67–MS68 level, condition and eye appeal can trump everything else. A single grade point at the top end translates to thousands of dollars. I think these top-tier 1949 dimes are still underappreciated compared to other silver series.

 

History of The 1949 Dime

The Roosevelt Dime launched in 1946 to honor FDR, who died on April 12, 1945. The dime denomination was chosen because of Roosevelt’s connection to the March of Dimes, the polio-fighting organization he helped establish in 1938. Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock designed the coin, though debate still swirls about whether he borrowed from sculptor Selma Burke’s bronze relief or photographer Marcel Sternberger’s 1936 portrait.

By 1949, the series was three years old — and running headlong into a recession. From November 1948 through October 1949, unemployment spiked, GDP dropped, and demand for new coinage dried up across the board. San Francisco got hit hardest. Its 1949 dime output was only 38% of the previous year’s and just 66% of what it would produce in 1950.

Here’s a fun detail: 1949 also saw the Mint install more powerful rollers that quadrupled planchet output capacity for dimes. And it was the last year before Proof production resumed after the wartime suspension — so every 1949 Roosevelt Dime you’ll find is a business strike. No Proofs exist.

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

 

Is Your 1949 Dime Rare?

Your 1949 Dime could be one of the scarce San Francisco mintage or feature the valuable Full Bands designation worth hundreds of dollars. Don’t miss out—use our Coin Identifier and Value App to quickly assess your coin’s rarity and unlock its true collector value in seconds.

 

Key Features of The 1949 Dime

Sinnock’s design holds up beautifully on the 1949 issue. Every element — Roosevelt’s profile, the torch, the flanking branches — serves double duty as both art and symbolism. Here’s what to look for on your coin.

The Obverse Of The 1949 Dime

You’ll see Roosevelt facing left, rendered in clean, classical style. “LIBERTY” arcs along the upper left rim. “IN GOD WE TRUST” sits in smaller letters beneath his chin. The date “1949” appears to the lower right of the neck truncation, and Sinnock’s “JS” initials are at the base of the neck — slightly larger on 1949 issues than the original 1946 type.

If you’re holding a 1949-S, look closely at the word “GOD.” On this variety, it’s rendered in a sans serif font instead of the standard Trumpet Tail font used on Philadelphia and Denver strikes. Variety researchers catalog this as the ODV-002 die variety. It’s a neat cherrypicking target.

The Reverse Of The 1949 Dime

Flip it over and you’ll find the flaming torch at center, flanked by an olive branch (peace) on the left and an oak branch (strength) on the right. “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is split into four segments around the torch, separated by centering dots. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” curves along the top rim, and “ONE DIME” sits at the bottom.

Look for the mint mark on the lower reverse, left of the torch base. “S” means San Francisco, “D” means Denver, and no mark means Philadelphia. One detail variety specialists track: from 1946 to 1952, San Francisco used the MMS-002 style Trumpet Tail font for its “S” mint mark. That’s useful when you’re attributing specific 1949-S die marriages.

Other Features Of The 1949 Dime

The 1949 Dime measures 17.90 millimeters in diameter and weighs 2.5 grams, with a composition of 90% silver and 10% copper yielding 0.07234 troy ounces of pure silver. At current silver prices in early 2026, the melt value of a 1949 Roosevelt Dime is approximately $5.09 — meaning even a heavily worn example is worth well above its 10-cent face value.

The edge features 118 reeds — the standard anti-counterfeiting and anti-clipping measure.

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

 

1949 Dime Mintage & Survival Data

Total 1949 production hit roughly 70.48 million coins across all three mints — one of the lowest annual totals in the entire silver Roosevelt series. Philadelphia led with 30.94 million, Denver struck 26.03 million, and San Francisco managed just 13.51 million. That San Francisco number is less than half of Philly’s output.

Here’s the counterintuitive part. The 1955-P actually has a lower raw mintage at 12,450,181. But the 1949-S is the true practical key date. Why? Collectors anticipated the end of silver coinage and hoarded 1955 issues by the roll. Nobody was stashing 1949-S dimes during a recession. They circulated hard and got spent. To put it in perspective, that 13.51 million mintage shrank to a tiny fraction of survivors in uncirculated grades.

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

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1949 Dime Value

Three steps. That’s all it takes.

First, flip your coin to the reverse and check the torch base for a mint mark. No mark means Philadelphia, “D” means Denver, and “S” means San Francisco — the one you want.

Next, assess the grade. Circulated pieces typically run $4 to $7. Uncirculated examples bring $15 to $70 depending on condition, with the 1949-S pulling significantly higher premiums at MS65 and above.

Finally, grab a loupe and check the torch bands. If you see complete, unbroken horizontal band separation on the torch handle, you might have a Full Bands coin — and those can sell for two to five times more than regular strikes in the same grade. Any coin you suspect has FB is worth submitting to PCGS or NGC for professional certification.

The Coin Identifier and Value App instantly performs all three evaluations — simply photograph your coin for professional-grade identification, grade estimation, and current market valuation.

 

1949 Dime Value Guides

Now let’s dig into each mint variety. Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco each produced coins with different rarity levels and collector demand — and those differences show up clearly in today’s prices.

1949 Dime Varieties:

• 1949 No Mint Mark Dime (Philadelphia)
• 1949-D Dime (Denver)
• 1949-S Dime (San Francisco)

 

1949 No Mint Mark Dime Value

Most collectors skip right past the Philadelphia issue. That’s a mistake. At 30.94 million struck, it’s the highest-mintage 1949 variety — but that number is still unusually low for Philly. No mint mark on the reverse, following the standard Philadelphia convention of the silver era.

Lightly worn and better examples pull genuine premiums. But the real action is in Full Bands coins at high grades. A 1949 Philadelphia MS67 FB sold for $660 at Stack’s Bowers in June 2025. The all-time record? A PCGS MS68 FB that brought $13,200 at Stack’s Bowers in August 2018. That coin had exceptional toning that pushed its eye appeal way beyond the technical grade.

That’s nearly a twelve-fold jump between a standard MS68 and an MS68 FB. Only a handful of MS67+ FB examples are known across all certified populations. If you find one raw, you’re sitting on something special.

The chart below documents certified auction results for 1949 Philadelphia dimes at different levels.

Market activity trends reveal collector engagement patterns for this post-war Philadelphia coin.

 

1949-D Dime Value

Did you know Denver generally produced the sharpest strikes of all three mints in 1949? That makes Full Bands examples more attainable here than on the San Francisco issue — though “attainable” is relative. PCGS CoinFacts estimates only about 75–100 1949-D dimes would qualify for the Full Bands designation, mostly in the MS65–MS67 range.

With a mintage of 26,034,000 pieces, this is the second-lowest Denver production total across the entire silver Roosevelt era (1946–1964). The small “D” mint mark sits on the reverse, left of the torch base. The recession drove those numbers down hard.

MS67 FB specimens have reached around $3,000, and MS68 FB pieces have crossed $5,600 at auction. We think the 1949-D is a compelling entry point if you want a recession-era Roosevelt with real numismatic weight beyond melt value.

Auction records for 1949-D dimes show the premium collectors place on high-grade Denver examples.

The following market data tracks collector interest for 1949-D dimes throughout the certified coin marketplace.

 

1949-S Dime Value

This is the coin everyone’s chasing. The 1949-S is the undisputed practical key date of the silver Roosevelt series. Just 13,510,000 struck, notoriously weak strikes from San Francisco, and almost no one saved them during the recession. The 1955-P has a slightly lower mintage at 12,450,181, but those were hoarded heavily. The 1949-S was not.

Even in circulated grades, you’re looking at $5–$10 — roughly double what typical dates bring. Mint state prices climb fast. A PCGS MS68FB sold at GreatCollections on August 2, 2020 for $11,812.50. An NGC MS68FT brought $6,000 on eBay in December 2022. As of May 2025, PCGS reports a population of just 1 coin at MS68FB and NGC reports just 1 coin at MS68FT. That’s top-pop territory in the most extreme sense.

At MS67+ FB, PCGS reported a stable population of 17 coins between April and October 2024. Those typically sell for $1,000 or more. PCGS officially describes the 1949-S with Full Bands as “the rarest, most challenging coin in the entire series.” When you consider hundreds of millions of dimes were struck annually during this era, that’s a remarkable statement.

Documented sales history for 1949-S dimes at auction.

Market activity indicates that San Francisco-issued Roosevelt coins maintained an upward trend in the latter period.

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

 

Rare 1949 Dime Error List

The 1949 Roosevelt Dime is mostly collected for its low mintage and Full Bands potential, but a handful of error types from this year are worth knowing about — especially if you’re cherrypicking through raw coins.

1. Repunched Mint Mark (RPM) — 1949-S

Before 1990, mint marks were hand-punched onto individual working dies. Slight misalignments between punches created a “shadow” or doubled effect. The 1949-S has two documented RPM varieties: RPM-001 shows a slight westerly drift (the secondary “S” appears faintly left of the primary), and RPM-002 shows a more noticeable northwesterly drift.

Grab a 10x–15x loupe and look near the primary mint mark at the torch base. You’re hunting for a faint ghost “S.” These typically add $5–$10 over a standard example, though on high-grade Full Bands coins, variety-collector demand can push that higher.

2. Clipped Planchet Errors

You’ll spot these by a missing chunk of metal along the rim — usually curved, sometimes straight. Curved clips happen when the blanking punch overlaps a previously punched hole in the metal strip. Straight clips occur when the punch hits the strip’s leading edge.

Here’s a quick test: weigh the coin. Normal dimes hit 2.5 grams, so a 10% clip should come in around 2.25 grams. In mint state, 1949 clipped planchet dimes generally sell for $30–$100 depending on clip size. Bigger clips (20%+) bring more.

3. Lamination Errors

Lamination flaws show up as peeling, splitting, or flaking on the coin’s surface. They’re caused by impurities or internal stress in the planchet metal — basically, something went wrong during alloy mixing or strip preparation, and layers didn’t bond properly.

Look for discoloration patches or areas where the metal is visibly separating. Values run $15–$75 for 1949 dimes with visible lamination issues. The more dramatic the peeling, the more error specialists will pay.

4. Broadstrike Errors

When the collar die fails to contain the planchet during striking, metal flows outward freely. The result is an oversized coin with a smooth, plain edge instead of reeding. Design elements look “stretched” beyond their normal boundaries.

These are easy to spot — no reeds is the giveaway. 1949 broadstrike Roosevelt Dimes typically trade for $25–$60 in circulated condition, with uncirculated examples reaching $75–$150.

5. Off-Center Strikes

If the planchet wasn’t centered between the dies at the moment of impact, part of the design is missing and you’ll see a blank crescent on the opposite side. The key to value here is whether the date is visible. A 10–20% off-center strike with a clear “1949” date typically sells for $50–$150. Dramatic 40–50% off-center examples with a readable date can reach $200–$400 at auction.

 

Where to Sell Your 1949 Dime?

Finding the right buyer for your 1949 Dime can maximize your profit by hundreds of dollars. Explore our detailed guide comparing auction houses, dealer networks, and online platforms to make an informed selling decision.

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

 

1949 Dime Market Trend

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

 

FAQ about The 1949 Dime Value

1. What is a 1949 Dime worth today?

Circulated Philadelphia and Denver examples typically bring $4–$7. The scarcer 1949-S fetches $7–$15 in worn grades. Uncirculated coins with Full Bands can reach hundreds to thousands at MS65 and above.

2. How do I identify which mint struck my 1949 Dime?

Flip the coin to the reverse and check the lower left area near the torch base. No mint mark means Philadelphia, “D” indicates Denver, and “S” points to San Francisco — the most valuable of the three.

3. What does “Full Bands” (FB) mean?

Full Bands means complete, sharp separation of the horizontal bands on the torch handle. PCGS uses “FB” and NGC uses “Full Torch” (FT). Coins with this designation typically sell for two to five times more than non-FB examples at the same grade.

4. Is the 1949-S really the key date of the Roosevelt Dime series?

Yes. The 1955-P has a slightly lower mintage, but the 1949-S has a far smaller surviving uncirculated population. It circulated heavily during a recession and was never hoarded. PCGS officially calls the 1949-S FB “the rarest, most challenging coin in the entire series.”

5. What is the silver melt value of a 1949 Dime?

Each 1949 Roosevelt Dime contains 0.07234 troy ounces of pure silver (90% silver, 10% copper composition). At early 2026 silver prices, the melt value is approximately $5.09 — so even a beat-up example is worth well above face value.

6. How rare is the 1949 Dime?

In absolute terms, not rare — roughly 7 million survivors exist across all three mints. But it’s a semi-key date with the second-lowest combined mintage of the silver Roosevelt era. The real rarity is in high grades: fewer than 0.1% of the original 1949-S mintage is estimated to survive at MS65 or better.

7. What errors should I look for on a 1949 Dime?

Repunched Mint Marks (RPM) on the 1949-S, clipped planchets, lamination flaws, broadstrikes, and off-center strikes. A dramatic off-center strike with a visible date can fetch $200–$400 at auction. Always worth checking under magnification.

8. Why was the 1949 Dime mintage so low?

Recession. From November 1948 through October 1949, high unemployment and falling GDP crushed demand for new coinage. San Francisco got hit hardest — its 1949 output was only 38% of the prior year’s production.

9. Should I get my 1949 Dime professionally graded?

If your coin looks uncirculated or shows possible Full Bands, absolutely submit it to PCGS or NGC. A single grade point at the MS67–MS68 level can mean thousands of dollars, and the FB/FT designation can multiply value two to five times.

10. What is the all-time auction record for a 1949 Dime?

A PCGS MS68 FB Philadelphia example sold for $13,200 at Stack’s Bowers in August 2018. That Philadelphia coin outperformed the 1949-S at the same grade — proof that exceptional toning and eye appeal can override mintage hierarchy at the very top of the market.