1970 Dime Value Checker: Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

1970 Dime value ranges from $0.10 face value to $6,038. That record was a Grade 69 No S proof example sold through Heritage Auctions in May 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.

 

1970 Dime Value By Variety

Here’s what every 1970 Roosevelt dime variety is selling for right now, from beat-up pocket change to certified gems. Find your coin’s ballpark value here, then dig into the detailed breakdowns below.

Also Read: Roosevelt Dime Value (1946-Present)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1970 Dime Worth Money

The gap between MS-65 and MS-69 for 1970 dimes is massive. Clad coins — copper core wrapped in nickel-copper — pick up bag marks like magnets. A truly flawless survivor is a freak occurrence.

The 1970 No Mint Mark dime’s MS-69 record of $6,038 (Heritage Auctions, 2004) tells the story. Over 345 million were struck, but that soft clad metal just doesn’t survive handling without marks. Perfection was basically a lottery win.

Here’s the part that trips people up: proof coins in PR-65 through PR-69 often sell for less than business strikes in the same numeric grade. Sounds backwards, right? But proof coins were babied from day one. More survived in top shape, so they’re less scarce up there.

 

History of the 1970 Roosevelt Dime

The Roosevelt dime has been struck every year since 1946 — one of the longest unbroken runs in U.S. coinage.

It honors President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who died on April 12, 1945 after years battling polio. Roosevelt had championed the March of Dimes, an organization literally named after the ten-cent piece. The dime was the natural choice for his memorial.

Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock designed the coin, though much of the hands-on work fell to his assistant, Gilroy Roberts — who’d later become chief engraver himself. The first Roosevelt dimes hit circulation on January 30, 1946, what would have been Roosevelt’s 64th birthday.

Those early dimes were 90% silver. The Coinage Act of 1965 changed that, pulling silver from circulating dimes, quarters, and half dollars because rising silver prices had people hoarding the old coins. From 1965 on, dimes were clad — same composition you’ll find today.

Between 1965 and 1967, the Mint dropped mint marks from all coins to discourage hoarding and speculative collecting. They came back in 1968: “D” for Denver, “S” for San Francisco proofs. Philadelphia kept striking without a mint mark until the “P” was added in 1980.

Here’s a fun detail about 1970 specifically: it was Mary T. Brooks’ first full year as U.S. Mint Director. Appointed by Nixon in March 1969, she oversaw the Philadelphia Mint’s move from its third building to its fourth. That transition directly contributed to the weak strikes you see on many 1970 Philadelphia dimes.

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 Coin Identifier and Value App provides the accurate rarity and value assessment for your coins.

 

Key Features of the 1970 Dime

Knowing what to look for on your 1970 dime is the difference between a ten-cent coin and a $6,000 one. Here’s what you need to check.

The Obverse of the 1970 Dime

The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt that dominates the coin’s surface. Sinnock worked from photographs and his own sketches of the president.

LIBERTY runs along the inner rim on the left side. IN GOD WE TRUST sits toward the bottom left in smaller letters. Below Roosevelt’s neck truncation you’ll find the date, followed by “JS” for John Sinnock — initials that briefly sparked controversy when some people thought they stood for Joseph Stalin.

Look for the mint mark (D or S) directly above the “0” in 1970. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark.

The Reverse of the 1970 Dime

Flip it over and there’s more going on. A central torch symbolizes liberty, flanked by an olive branch on the left (peace) and an oak branch on the right (strength).

E PLURIBUS UNUM runs horizontally across the middle. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcs around the top, ONE DIME sits at the bottom.

Now, look at the horizontal bands at the top and bottom of the torch — this is where the money is. When those bands show complete, sharp separation, the coin earns a Full Bands (FB) designation from PCGS or Full Torch (FT) from NGC. That designation can multiply the value dramatically. More on this below.

Other Features of the 1970 Dime

The 1970 dime has a pure copper core with an outer layer of 75% copper and 25% nickel. Based on November 2025 metal prices, the melt value is approximately 2.5 cents — well below face value.

The coin has a reeded edge, measures 17.90 millimeters in diameter, and weighs 2.27 grams. Those specs haven’t changed across any clad Roosevelt dime since 1965.

Three mints struck dimes in 1970: Philadelphia (no mint mark), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S, proof only). Combined output topped 1.1 billion coins that year.

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

 

1970 Dime Mintage & Survival Data

Denver’s 754,942,100 pieces and Philadelphia’s 345,570,000 pieces were a direct response to ongoing coin shortages. When the 1965 Coinage Act pulled silver from dimes, people hoarded the old 90% silver coins and they vanished from circulation almost overnight.

Most high-grade business strikes come from the 1970 United States Uncirculated Mint Set, sold for $2.50 each. The real draw in those sets was the 1970-D Kennedy Half Dollar — the last 40% silver Kennedy half struck for circulation. The clad dime was an afterthought.

San Francisco proof dimes tell a completely different survival story. DCAM (Deep Cameo) examples have a 42.5% documented census survival rate — roughly 1.1 million surviving from 2.6 million minted. That’s huge. It shows how seriously collectors treated proof sets in 1970. Many went straight into albums or safe deposit boxes and never came out.

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

Here’s a coin that looks common but hides a secret at the top of the grading scale. Philadelphia struck 345,570,000 dimes in 1970 — way down from the billion-coin runs of the late 1960s “date freeze” era. Demand for new coins was finally stabilizing after the silver hoarding crisis.

But strike quality is the real story. Philadelphia was mid-move between its third and fourth facility buildings, and the disruption shows in the coins. Neither PCGS nor NGC has certified a single 1970 Philadelphia dime above MS-66 with Full Bands. As of the November 2024 PCGS census, the top populations are just one MS-67+ and two MS-66 FB examples total.

CoinWeek authors Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker have pointed out that a potential MS-67 FB or FT example could theoretically bring more at auction than a 1970 No-S Proof in the same grade. Think about that — a “common date” Philly dime potentially outpricing one of the most famous proof errors in the series. A confirmed MS-66 FB example sold for $2,295 on eBay on August 7, 2018.

In circulated grades, these are face-value coins. MS-65 slabbed examples go for under $10. MS-67 coins — only about 14 certified by NGC — have brought $85 to $120 in recent years.

Prices for this coin jump sharply once you cross into the top certified grades.

1970 Reverse of 1968 Dime Value

Want a cherrypicking opportunity? This is one of the best in the modern Roosevelt series. During the late 1960s, San Francisco produced special high-relief proof dies with deeply carved details — meant only for proof coins. Somehow, those dies ended up striking Philadelphia business-strike planchets in 1970. An accidental variety was born.

The tell is in the torch flame. Look for two prominent valleys cut at roughly 45-degree angles within the flame tip. Standard 1970 reverses have shallow, mushy flame details by comparison. That deep definition was designed for cameo contrast on proofs, not circulation strikes.

Only a single MS-66 FB example has ever been certified — the finest known. High-grade pieces have brought $1,600 in MS-65+FB and $3,000 in MS-66 FB at auction.

Roughly 10% of 1970 Philadelphia dimes carry this reverse, making them far scarcer than the Denver version of the same variety.

 

1970-D Dime Value

754,942,100 dimes. That’s what Denver cranked out in 1970 — the highest output of any Roosevelt dime variety that year. Denver picked up the slack while Philadelphia was dealing with its facility move.

Don’t let that huge mintage fool you. Finding a pristine one is tougher than you’d expect. PCGS notes that MS-66 examples are “somewhat challenging” to locate, MS-67 specimens are “difficult to find” with possibly only hundreds in existence, and MS-68 is “almost unheard of” with fewer than a dozen known.

Full Bands examples from Denver? PCGS calls them “a diamond in the rough” — very scarce in any condition. The auction record for the 1970-D stands at $646 for an MS-68 example sold at Heritage Auctions on December 4, 2014.

Circulated pieces bring $0.15 to $0.35. MS-66 specimens command around $15, well below comparable Philadelphia grades (approximately $75). That pricing gap comes down to collector preference for the lower-mintage Philly coins, even though top-grade scarcity is similar.

Here are recent sales showing what Denver-minted examples are actually bringing across different grades.

1970-D Reverse of 1968 Dime Value

Same story as Philadelphia — leftover 1968-S proof reverse dies got recycled for business-strike production when Denver needed more dies to keep up with demand.

The diagnostics are identical: deeply carved flame valleys at 45-degree angles in the torch tip. But here’s the big difference — the Denver version is way more common. Collector surveys estimate roughly 30% of 1970-D dimes carry the Reverse of 1968 die. That translates to approximately 226 million potential examples from the 754.9 million total.

Even so, high-grade slabbed examples are still scarce. An MS-66 example designated “Top Pop” sold for $335 at an eBay auction in June 2018, the finest certified specimen at that time.

Here’s what this transitional reverse variety has been bringing at auction across certification levels.

 

1970-S Proof Dime Value

A PF-69 for about eight bucks? That’s the 1970-S proof dime for you. San Francisco struck 2,632,810 of them, sold only in official U.S. Mint Proof Sets. None were released into circulation.

These coins were struck with polished dies on prepared planchets, giving them mirror-like fields and sharp frosted devices. Standard 1970-S proofs have the mirror finish but lack the dramatic frosting that defines Cameo and Deep Cameo grades — the contrast between devices and fields is pretty subtle.

If you’re building a Roosevelt dime proof set on a budget, this is a great starting point.

Sales show a tight value range even at the top certified grades.

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

 

1970-S CAM Dime Value

Think of a cameo brooch — the portrait pops white against a dark, shiny background. That’s exactly what Cameo (CAM) means on a proof coin. Frosted, white raised design elements standing in sharp contrast against mirror-like fields.

Pre-mid-1970s Roosevelt dimes with true Cameo contrast are a completely different kind of rare compared to later dates. After the mid-1970s, improved die prep made Cameo and Deep Cameo finishes routine. In 1970, getting that contrast was hit or miss.

The population numbers tell the story: 119 certified at PR-67 CAM, 387 at PR-68 CAM, and 906 at PR-69 CAM — with zero PR-70 CAM examples recorded. The auction record stands at $91 for a PR-69 CAM example sold through David Lawrence Rare Coins in May 2020.

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

How cheap can a Deep Cameo proof get? Pretty cheap. DCAM is the premium tier above standard Cameo — the most intense frost on the devices, the deepest mirror polish on the fields, creating that stark black-and-white look collectors love.

PCGS CoinFacts says the 1970-S Proof Roosevelt Dime is common up to PR-69 Deep Cameo. Only PR-70 Deep Cameo specimens are scarcer, and even those remain affordable for most collectors.

The auction record is just $288 for a PR-69 DCAM specimen sold through Heritage Auctions in January 2021. I think this is one of the best entry points for anyone wanting a Deep Cameo proof in the Roosevelt series.

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

Most 1970 dimes are common coins worth face value in circulated condition. But several error varieties exist that can push values into the thousands. Here’s what to look for.

1. 1970 No S Proof Dime

This is one of five famous Roosevelt dime “No Mint Mark” errors from the clad era (1968 No-S, 1970 No-S, 1975 No-S, 1982 No-P, 1983 No-S). The 1970 No-S is the second in the series and one of the most hunted.

Here’s how it happened: proof dies were made at Philadelphia, then shipped to San Francisco for striking. Mint mark punches were applied by hand to individual working dies. When someone skipped the “S” punch — or a weak punch got polished away during die finishing — the unmarked die shipped out and struck proof coins.

PCGS estimates approximately 2,200 No-S proof dimes were struck before the error was caught. That’s about 0.08% of total 1970-S proof production. PCGS CoinFacts puts the total known population at roughly 500 examples across all grades, similar to the 1983 No-S.

The PCGS auction record stands at $6,038 for a PR-69 CAM example sold at Heritage Auctions on May 5, 2004. Current market values range from approximately $700–$800 for standard proof examples to $1,150 for PR-69 and $3,600 for PR-69 CAM grades.

Be careful with this one. Philadelphia’s circulating no-mint-mark dimes look similar at first glance. Proof versions show mirror-like fields and sharper detail — always buy this coin in a PCGS or NGC holder.

2. 1970 No Mint Mark DDR (Doubled Die Reverse)

A DDR (Doubled Die Reverse) happens when a die gets two slightly misaligned hub impressions during manufacturing — before it ever strikes a coin. Every coin from that die then carries the doubling.

On 1970 Roosevelt dimes, DDR doubling typically shows on the torch, the lettering in UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and ONE DIME. Grab a loupe and look for notching at letter corners, shadow-like second images on raised elements, or splitting and thickening of design details.

Values depend entirely on how dramatic the doubling is. Subtle stuff you need magnification to see? Maybe $10–$20 extra. Doubling visible to the naked eye? $500 or more. Typical circulated examples sell between $20 and $30. Mint state pieces with clear doubling can reach approximately $90 or more.

3. 1970-D DDR (Doubled Die Reverse)

Before 1997, dies needed multiple hub impressions to transfer the full design. Each impression required reheating the die. If the die and hub weren’t perfectly realigned between impressions, you got a doubled image baked into the die.

Two distinct 1970-D DDR varieties are catalogued by CONECA and listed in the Fivaz-Stanton reference as FS-801 and FS-802.

The FS-801 variety, which can also earn the Full Bands designation, commands $35–$200 in uncirculated grades. One example hit $365 at auction. The FS-802 variety is more modest, ranging from $26–$137.50, with an auction high of $225 for an MS-66 specimen sold in May 2019.

 

Where to Sell Your 1970 Dime

After determining what your 1970 dime is worth, you’re probably wondering about the best places to sell. I’ve researched and compiled a guide to the top 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 Value

1. How much is a 1970 dime worth in circulated condition?

Most circulated 1970 dimes bring $0.10 to $0.35 — basically face value. Philadelphia (no mint mark) and Denver (D) examples in worn condition carry no collector premium. San Francisco (S) dimes were proof-only and never circulated, so a worn-looking one would be unusual. The only circulated 1970 dimes worth real money are confirmed error coins.

2. What is a 1970 No S dime and how much is it worth?

The 1970 No-S proof dime is an error where the “S” mint mark was accidentally left off proof dies headed for San Francisco. About 2,200 were struck, with roughly 500 total known across all grades according to PCGS. Values range from $700–$800 for standard proof grades, $1,150 for PR-69, $3,600 for PR-69 CAM, and the all-time auction record is $6,038 for a PR-69 CAM sold at Heritage Auctions in May 2004.

3. What makes a 1970 dime rare?

With over 1.1 billion struck combined, 1970 dimes are not rare as a group. The exceptions: the 1970 No-S proof error (roughly 500 known), Full Bands examples above MS-66 (zero certified from Philadelphia by either service), and Reverse of 1968 varieties in top certified grades.

4. What are Full Bands (FB) on a Roosevelt dime and why do they matter?

Full Bands is a strike quality designation from PCGS. It means the horizontal bands at the top and bottom of the reverse torch show complete, clean separation. NGC uses the similar Full Torch (FT) standard, which also requires defined vertical lines. FB dimes are worth much more because most 1970 dimes were weakly struck — high-speed production on clad planchets flattened the fine details. A 1970 Philadelphia MS-66 FB sold for $2,295 in 2018; no example above MS-66 FB has been certified from Philadelphia.

5. How do I tell a 1970 No-S proof dime apart from a regular Philadelphia dime?

Both lack an “S” mint mark. The difference is surface quality. Proof coins have deeply mirror-like fields — you can almost see your reflection. Business strikes have a softer, satin-like luster without that intense mirror effect. Proof coins also show sharper, crisper design edges. Always buy a 1970 No-S proof in a PCGS or NGC certified holder.

6. What is the 1970 Reverse of 1968 variety?

It happens when 1968-S proof reverse dies — made with deeper relief for cameo contrast — got recycled for 1970 business strikes. The giveaway is a torch flame with two deep valleys cut at 45-degree angles. Standard 1970 reverses have a much shallower flame. Philadelphia versions are rarer (about 10% of output), Denver versions more common (about 30% of output). The finest Philadelphia Reverse of 1968 in MS-66 FB has sold for $3,000.

7. Is a 1970 dime silver?

No. Silver was removed from circulating dimes with the Coinage Act of 1965. All 1970 Roosevelt dimes are clad — copper core, 75% copper / 25% nickel outer layer. Melt value as of late 2025 is approximately 2.5 cents. Silver proof dimes for collectors didn’t resume until 1992.

8. What is the 1970-D DDR error and how do I identify it?

The 1970-D DDR (Doubled Die Reverse) shows doubled images on the reverse, most visible on the torch, lettering, and denomination. Two catalogued varieties exist: FS-801 (more valuable, auction record of $365) and FS-802 (auction high of $225 for MS-66 in May 2019). Check the reverse lettering under a loupe for shadow-like secondary images, notching at letter corners, or thickened design elements. Doubling you can see without magnification brings the biggest premiums.

9. How were 1970 dimes stored and where do mint state examples come from?

Most high-grade business strikes come from the 1970 United States Uncirculated Mint Set, sold by the Mint for $2.50. These sets kept dimes in decent shape compared to circulation finds, but Full Bands examples are still extremely scarce — the sets weren’t made with collector-grade strike quality as the priority. Proof examples came in official Proof Sets and were carefully stored from the start.

10. What is the 2026 dime design, and will Roosevelt dimes increase in value?

The U.S. Mint confirmed that the Roosevelt design is being replaced for 2026 to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary (Semiquincentennial). An “Emerging Liberty” design takes over for one year, then Roosevelt returns in 2027. This is the first time the design has been temporarily displaced since 1946. We think a one-year interruption may spark some short-term interest in Roosevelt dimes as a series, but common dates like 1970 probably won’t move much — the real price drivers remain condition, Full Bands designation, and error status.