1970 Dime Coin Value (Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth)

Are you interested in collecting or selling 1970 dimes? You are probably curious how much you can get for this old coin.

This guide will teach you everything you need to know about the 1970 dime value to make a smart decision whether you are buying or selling.

Roosevelt dimes are still in circulation, and billions have been produced to date. These coins are common and generally worth their face value in circulated condition.

There are some exceptions, though, such as error varieties that can be worth tens or hundreds of dollars depending on the coin’s condition. But you definitely need to know what to look for to spot these rare oddities.

So, let’s get started and find out: How much is a 1970 dime worth?

 

1970 Dime Value By Variety

This is a 1970 U.S. dime value chart showing market prices for different versions and conditions, ranging from a few cents for circulated coins to several hundred dollars for rare high-grade varieties. If you know the grade of your coin, you can find the exact price below in the Value Guides section.

Also Read: Roosevelt Dime Value (1946-Present)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1970 Dime Worth Money

The exponential price progression from MS-65 to MS-69 specimens demonstrates the brutal attrition curve inherent to clad coinage—soft copper cores and exposed nickel surfaces prove exceptionally vulnerable to contact marks and environmental degradation during both circulation and storage.

The dramatic premium commanded by MS-69 examples, particularly the $6,038 apex for Philadelphia no-mint-mark strikes, reflects supply-side economics at its purest. While over 345 million pieces entered commerce, achieving technical perfection in clad composition requires near-miraculous preservation. This creates inverse rarity—common dates become condition rarities.

The proof designations (PR-65 through PR-69) trade at systematic discounts to their business strike counterparts, counterintuitively given proofs’ controlled production environment. This pricing anomaly stems from deliberate collector preservation—proof specimens benefited from immediate encapsulation, yielding higher survival rates in premium grades.

 

History of The 1970 Dime

The Roosevelt dime was first minted in 1946 and is still in circulation to date, making it one of the longest-circulating coins in American coinage history.

The dime commemorates one of the country’s most popular presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt died in 1945 after a long battle with polio. This crippling disease inspired him to contribute to the founding of the March of Dimes.

Aside from his great contribution to the organization, Roosevelt was also recognized for his leadership, which allowed the United States to navigate the perils of the Great Depression and Second World War.

Once the 25-year period elapsed, officials at the United States Mint saw it fit to replace the Mercury dime with a new coin in honor of Roosevelt. After 25 years, the Mint did not require congressional approval to replace a coin with a new one.

Under the Treasury Department, the Mint commissioned chief engraver John R. Sinnock to submit designs for the new Roosevelt coins. Following criticism, mostly from Republicans opposed to a Roosevelt coin and the Commission of Fine Arts, Sinnock changed his designs severally.

Eventually, the final design was settled upon, and the Roosevelt dime was struck and released into circulation on January 30, 1946, Roosevelt’s 64th birthday anniversary. Since then, the Mint has struck billions of Roosevelt dimes.

These coins were initially struck in silver but transitioned to a copper-nickel alloy in 1965. However, the design elements on the obverse and reverse of the Roosevelt dime have generally remained unchanged.

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

 

Is Your 1970 Dime Rare?

For detailed information about your coin’s specific variety and current market value, our CoinValueChecker App provides the accurate rarity and value assessment for your coins.

 

Key Features of The 1970 Dime

Let’s now look at the unique attributes of the 1970 dime. Knowing what features to pay attention to can help you identify 1970 dimes that offer value for money.

The Obverse Of The 1970 Dime

The obverse of the 1970 has a simple layout. Roosevelt’s left-facing portrait takes up most of the coin’s surface. It is said that Sinnock used photographs and sketches he had done to create the president’s portrait for the dime.

The word LIBERTY appears along the inner rim on the left while the country’s motto, IN GOD WE TRUST, is seen toward the bottom and still on the left.

Underneath Roosevelt’s truncated neck, you will notice the date and the controversial John Sinnock initials, JS, which the public once believed represented the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

The Reverse Of The 1970 Dime

The reverse of the 1970 dime is a bit more detailed. This side of the coin depicts a torch at the center, symbolizing American liberty.

The torch is flanked by an olive branch on the left and an oak branch on the right, representing peace and strength, respectively.

The motto, E PLURIBUS UNUM, appears horizontally across the coin’s surface. The country’s name, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, appears around the top while the denomination, ONE DIME, is shown at the bottom, completing the reverse design.

Other Features Of The 1970 Dime

The 1970 Roosevelt dime comprises a pure copper core and an outer cladding comprising 75% copper and 25% nickel. This Mint began using this copper-nickel alloy in 1965, abandoning the precious metal silver.

This reeded coin is relatively small, measuring 17.90 millimeters in diameter and weighing 2.27 grams.

Although the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints produced dimes in 1970, only the Denver and San Francisco coins bear a mint mark. You will notice the mint marks D and S on the obverse just above the date.

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

 

1970 Dime Mintage & Survival Data

Denver Mint’s output of 754.9 million pieces, combined with Philadelphia’s 345.6 million strikes, constituted a billion-coin response to persistent circulation shortages—a direct consequence of the 1965 Coinage Act’s elimination of silver content, which had triggered widespread hoarding and arbitrage of pre-1965 specimens.

San Francisco proof specimens demonstrate a 42.5% census survival rate (1,118,944 surviving from 2,632,810 minted S DCAM examples), while circulation strikes from both Denver and Philadelphia facilities remain functionally undocumented in major registries. Proof coinage benefits from immediate album preservation, while circulation strikes face decades of attrition through commercial exchange, metal redemption programs, and environmental degradation.

The S DCAM survival concentration merits particular attention. This 1.1 million-piece cohort represents the largest documented population within the 1970 dime series, suggesting that collector acquisition behavior during this transitional coinage period prioritized premium strikes over standard circulation issues.

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

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1970 Dime Value

1970 Dime Value Guides

1970 No Mint Mark Dime Value

With 345,570,000 pieces struck, this represented a dramatic reduction from the billion-coin outputs of the late 1960s, signaling stabilization in the coinage shortage that had plagued the clad era’s early years.

What distinguishes Philadelphia’s 1970 output is the strike quality deterioration that occurred during this transitional period. The Philadelphia Mint did not produce these coins with an eye for quality, resulting in specimens where Full Bands designations became exceptionally rare—neither NGC nor PCGS has certified a single example above MS-66 grade as of recent census data.

MS-67 FB/FT business strikes potentially command higher premiums than the scarce 1970 No-S Proof error, despite the latter’s legendary status, with a 1970 MS-66 FB specimen realizing $2,295 at an eBay auction on August 7, 2018.

The 1970 no mint mark dime’s market performance reveals extreme condition sensitivity across certified grades.

1970 Reverse of 1968 Dime Value

The 1970 Reverse of 1968 variety represents an extraordinary die management anomaly where circulation strike obverse dies were paired with leftover 1968-S proof reverse dies, creating a transitional reverse that should never have appeared on business strikes.

The diagnostic feature is the torch flame’s unusually deep definition—two prominent valleys carved at approximately 45-degree angles within the flame tip, contrasting sharply with the shallow, weak flame details on standard 1970 reverses. This deeply grooved flame was originally engineered exclusively for 1968 San Francisco proof production, where enhanced die relief created dramatic cameo contrast.

Population data reveals extreme condition rarity, with only a single MS-66FB example certified—representing the finest known specimen. High-grade examples achieve $1,600 in MS-65+FB and $3,000 in MS-66FB.

1970-D Dime Value

The 1970-D dime achieved the highest mintage of any Roosevelt dime variety that year, with Denver Mint producing a 754,942,100 pieces. This enormous production volume stemmed from Denver’s expanded capacity following Philadelphia’s operational disruptions during its facility transition.

Despite the astronomical mintage, strike quality remained average at best, with coins frequently exhibiting typical contact marks from mint bags and mass handling throughout the production process.

Circulated examples trade between $0.15 and $0.35, while even MS-66 specimens command only modest premiums around $15, substantially below Philadelphia equivalents at approximately $75 in comparable grades.

The highest certified example, graded MS-68, realized merely $646 at a 2014 Heritage Auctions sale, demonstrating that even condition rarities within this massive mintage fail to generate significant collector enthusiasm.

Recent sales demonstrate the modest premiums commanded by Denver-minted specimens across different grade levels.

1970-D Reverse of 1968 Dime Value

The 1970-D Reverse of 1968 variety emerged from an emergency die replacement protocol where proof reverse dies originally manufactured for 1968-S specimens were repurposed for business strike production. This variety shares the identical diagnostic characteristics with its Philadelphia counterpart—deeply carved flame valleys at 45-degree angles—but appears with notably higher frequency within Denver’s production.

Collector surveys indicate approximately 30% of 1970-D dimes exhibit the Reverse of 1968 characteristics, translating to roughly 226 million potential examples from the 754.9 million total mintage, making it substantially more common than the Philadelphia version where only 10% show the variety.

Population data reveals extreme condition scarcity, with an MS-66 example designated as “Top POP” realizing $335 at an eBay auction in June 2018, representing the finest certified specimen at that time.

Historical sales data captures the premium variability for this transitional reverse variety across certification levels.

1970-S Proof Dime Value

The 1970-S standard proof dime represents San Francisco Mint’s baseline collector production, struck with polished dies and specially prepared planchets to create highly reflective mirror-like fields and frosted design elements that distinguish them from circulation issues.

Standard 1970-S proof specimens with the “S” mintmark remain fairly common and easily accessible among collectors, with an ordinary PF-69 graded example fetching approximately $8 in the current market. These coins were sold exclusively in official U.S. Mint Proof Sets and never released into general circulation, ensuring careful handling from the moment of production.

What distinguishes standard proofs from their Cameo and Deep Cameo counterparts is the level of contrast—while all proofs possess mirrored fields, standard examples lack the dramatic frosting on raised design elements that characterizes premium cameo designations, resulting in more uniform surface appearance across both fields and devices.

Sales demonstrate the narrow value range for top-tier certified proofs.

Monthly activity for the 1970-S proof dime throughout the past year.

 

1970-S CAM Dime Value

The 1970-S Cameo proof dime occupies a premium tier within the proof series, featuring coveted contrast between frosted devices and mirror-like fields that defines this specialized designation. These specimens were struck using specially prepared dies creating frosted raised elements against brilliant reflective backgrounds, producing a dramatic visual effect that collectors highly prize.

Roosevelt dimes predating the mid-1970s that bear cameo contrast command significantly higher premiums than ordinary proofs. The population dwindles dramatically among Cameo pieces, which prove extremely difficult to locate within the broader proof population despite the substantial overall production.

Only 119 specimens have been certified at PR-67, 387 at PR-68, and 906 at the finest grade of PR-69, with no PR-70 examples recorded. The auction record stands at $91 for a PR-69CAM specimen sold through David Lawrence Rare Coins in May 2020, while the price guide indicates values ranging from $6 for PR-66+ to $18 for PR-69 specimens.

This table presents recent auction results for certified 1970-S CAM dimes.

This chart displays monthly activity for the 1970-S CAM dime over the past year.

 

1970-S DCAM Dime Value

The 1970-S Deep Cameo proof dime finish results from specially prepared dies and careful striking techniques producing the deepest possible frost on raised elements while maintaining perfect mirror surfaces in the fields.

According to CoinFacts, the 1970-S Proof Roosevelt Dime is common up to PR-69 Deep Cameo condition, with only PR-70 Deep Cameo specimens being scarcer, though enough examples exist to make them fairly common and affordable for just about any collector.

The auction record stands at $288 for a PR-69 specimen sold through Heritage Auctions in January 2021, reflecting the accessibility of this variety even in premium grades.

This chart displays the historical auction results for this coin across different selling platforms.

This chart shows the monthly interest trends for the 1970-S DCAM Dime.

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

 

Rare 1970 Dime Error List

Overall, 1970 Roosevelt dimes will not attract a premium, especially in circulated condition. There aren’t as many Roosevelt errors worth a lot, but some errors can significantly improve your coin’s value.

Here are some 1970 dime errors worth money:

1. 1970 No S Dime

The 1970 No S proof dime error occurred during die preparation at the Philadelphia Mint, which was responsible for creating proof dies before shipping them to San Francisco for striking. Mintmarks were manually punched onto individual working dies during this era—when the “S” punch was either omitted entirely or poorly applied and subsequently polished away during die finishing, unmarked dies were inadvertently sent to San Francisco and used to strike proof coins.

The U.S. Mint estimated approximately 2,200 proof dimes were struck from a single die pair before the error was discovered, representing roughly 0.8% of the 2.63 million total 1970-S proof production.

Market values range from $700-$800 for standard proof examples to significantly higher premiums for Cameo and Deep Cameo designations, with one PR-69 Deep Cameo specimen achieving $6,038 at auction.

A PR-69 Cameo example was described as “conditionally rare and among the finest known” with a population of only 21 specimens at that grade level with no finer examples recorded.

2. 1970 No Mint Mark DDR

This error resulted from the multiple hubbing process used during the era—dies required heating to soften the metal before each impression, and when proper alignment wasn’t maintained between successive strikes, doubled images appeared on design features.

On 1970 Roosevelt dimes, DDRs most commonly affect the torch, lettering on “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and the denomination “ONE DIME,” though doubling is typically less prominent than earlier series varieties.

The 1970 doubled die reverse error appears common across all grades from all three minting facilities, with typical specimens selling between $20 and $30 in average condition. Prices can escalate to approximately $90 for coins in mint state condition where doubling remains clearly visible. Market values fluctuate dramatically based on doubling severity—minor doubling commands only $10 to $20, while prominent, easily visible doubling without magnification can fetch $500 or more.

3. 1970-D DDR

Before 1997, dies required multiple impressions to transfer complete designs from hubs—after each impression, the die was reheated and prepared for subsequent strikes, and when mint workers failed to properly align the hub and die between impressions using alignment guides, doubled dies resulted.

Genuine doubled dies exhibit distinctive characteristics: notching at letter corners where two impressions overlap, separation lines between doubled elements, and rounded doubling where both primary and secondary images appear raised equally from the coin’s surface.

Two distinct 1970-D DDR varieties exist: FS-801 and FS-802. The FS-801 variety with Full Bands designation commands $35-$200 in uncirculated grades according to price guides, with one example achieving $365 at auction.

The FS-802 variety shows more modest valuations, ranging from $26-$137.50 across grades, with a recorded auction high of $225 for an MS-66 specimen sold in May 2019.

 

Where to Sell Your 1970 Dime?

After determining what 1970 Dime coins are worth, you’re probably wondering about convenient online selling options. I’ve researched and compiled a guide to the best platforms, outlining their services, pros, and cons.

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

 

1970 Dime Market Trend

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

 

FAQ about 1970 Dime

1. How do I know if my 1970 dime is worth money?

Generally, 1970 dimes are only worth their face value of $0.15 to $0.35. Your dime might be worth much more if you notice a true error; have a professional coin grading service inspect your coin to determine the presence of a known error. Dimes with full bands on the Liberty Torch are considered well-struck and may be worth more money.

2. What is a 1970 no s dime?

A 1970 no S dime is an interesting coin variation from this series. As the name suggests, this coin is a proof identifiable by its brilliant luster and design details but lacks the mint mark S seen in proof dimes from the San Francisco mint. According to the Mint, there are only about 2,000 1970 no S dimes, making these coins rare and highly sought after.

3. What makes a 1970 dime rare?

With more than 1 billion struck, the 1970 dime is not rare by any measure. However, some exceptions, such as coins with errors, Full Bands on the Liberty torch, and those without a mint mark S, are fairly rare and can be more valuable.