1987-S Roosevelt Dime Proof : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

In celebration of the San Francisco Mint’s 50th anniversary, an unprecedented 2,263 visitors were allowed to tour the building under heavy guard. The visitors were made to leave their belts, shoes, jewelry, and pocket change with security. All the while, the facility was extremely busy. For in 1987, San Francisco was responsible not only for striking the entirety of the American Silver Eagle issuance but also for the largest issuance of Proof Roosevelt Dimes to date.

While producing these Proof coins, the United States Mint reported that it used up to 10,000 towels every day to clean and polish them!

These coins were only available for purchase as part of special sets and were not intended for circulation. The Mint struck 3,792,233 Proof Roosevelt Dimes for their standard Proof Sets and a further 435,495 for the relatively new Prestige Sets. The standard Proof Sets consisted of five pieces (the Lincoln Cent, the Jefferson Nickel, the Roosevelt Dime, the Washington Quarter, and the Kennedy Half Dollar) sealed in a ridged plastic case and priced at $11 ($28.69 adjusted for inflation). These sets were almost entirely Deep Cameo/Ultra Cameo. In addition to those coins, the Prestige Sets–packaged in a more innovative display booklet–also contained the 1987 Constitution Bicentennial Commemorative Silver Collar. Prestige Sets were sold by the Mint for $45 ($117.36 adjusted for inflation).

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1987-S Roosevelt Dime Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

With a mintage of 4,227,728 pieces, the 1987-S is the most common Proof Roosevelt Dime.

As with most common modern coins, the official populations of PCGS and NGC are quite small, with PCGS having graded around 9,000 pieces and NCG over 1,000. Also, despite being a Proof finish, this coin is still cupronickel clad. This means that, except in the very highest grades, the 1987-S Proof dime commands a relatively low premium. In fact, in almost all grades lower than Proof 70, it costs more to have the coin graded than it’s worth. Most examples are sold in public venues like coin shows or eBay instead of at auction.

Today, examples certified as Deep Cameo/Ultra Cameo Proof 70 regularly sell for between $10 and $20, though there are some outliers, with examples trading for as low as $3 and as high as $35. This was not always the case since the value of this type has dropped dramatically over the past two decades. From 2004 to 2010 this grade regularly sold for just over $200. By 2012, the coin had depreciated to roughly $50 and has only continued to fall since.

In DCAM/UCAM Proof 69 and 68, while these coins sell for between $4 and $10, some go for as low as $3, and some as high as $40. Twenty years ago, the price sat at around $20. One outlier was sold by Heritage in May 2004 for $70. Yet the price had dropped to a reliable $15 by 2015, and $5 by 2018.

In all grades from Proof 67 down, there are only three auction records for graded coins: one PR67, one PR67 DCAM, and one PR65 CAM. These are interesting listings because the PR67 DCAM and PR65 CAM sold in 2018 for unusually high amounts ($34 and $74, respectively). This was likely a toning tax since both pieces have rather spectacular toning. It can be assumed that all other examples were sold or traded via private sales.

Examples below Mint State may go for as much as 1$. But as this coin has no precious metal content, as the condition gets progressively worse the price will drop to nearly face value.

Top Population: PCGS PR70DCAM (1,623, 2/2025), NGC PF70UCAM (444, 2/2025), and CAC PR69DCAM (14, 2/2025).

• PCGS PR70DCAM #24046490: GreatCollections, June 22, 2014 – View.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #24046556 GreatCollections, April 6, 2014 – View.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #12471320: GreatCollections, October 20, 2013 – View.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #27799146 GreatCollections, September 29, 2013 – View.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #24046557 GreatCollections, July 7, 2013 – View.
• NGC PF70UCAM #3374070-009: GreatCollections, February 3, 2013 – View.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #15458573: Heritage Auctions, November 21, 2010 – $126.50; Heritage Auctions, October 30, 2011 – $44.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #15518174: Heritage Auctions, August 30, 2011 – $56.
• NGC PF70UCAM #3114639-009: GreatCollections, August 14, 2011 – View.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #73877180: Heritage Auctions, April 27, 2008 – $287.50.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #7705294: Heritage Auctions, August 21, 2007 – $149.50.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #72714260: Heritage Auctions, June 4, 2007 – $149.50.
• NGC PF70UCAM #1540989-033: Heritage Auctions, February 6, 2007 – $35.
• NGC PF70UCAM #1540989-012: Heritage Auctions, January 30, 2007 – $23.
• NGC PF70UCAM #1540989-036: Heritage Auctions, January 28, 2007 – $44.
• NGC PF70UCAM #1540989-008: Heritage Auctions, January 23, 2007 – $31.
• NGC PF70UCAM #1540989-025: Heritage Auctions, January 21, 2007 – $25.
• NGC PF70UCAM #1540989-028: Heritage Auctions, October 3, 2006 – $23.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #72619540: Heritage Auctions, May 1, 2006 – $109.25.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #7705297: Heritage Auctions, March 27, 2005 – $161.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #7705294: Heritage Auctions, February 28, 2005 – $287.50.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #7705269: Heritage Auctions, July 20, 2004 – $230.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #72140369: Heritage Auctions, July 20, 2004 – $207.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #07705299: “The Stephen and Dianne Stokely Collection,” Heritage Auctions, May 2, 2003 – $1,020. “Stokely Collection” on label; “The Eric Kreuter Collection of Proof Roosevelt Dimes,” Heritage Auctions, May 6, 2004 – $276. “Eric Kreuter Collection” on label.

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Design

Obverse:

Most of the obverse design consists of a pensive, left facing, bust of the beloved late 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (served 1933-45). In the northwest quadrant, directly in front of Roosevelt’s face, is the standard legend LIBERTY. Below the president’s chin in smaller letters is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. Directly below the neck truncation on the bust are the designers’ initials JS. Placed at a slightly higher line than the motto and to the designer’s initials right is the date 1987. Unlike dimes struck before 1967 with the mintmark on the lower reverse to the left of the torch, the S mintmark is on the obverse above the date.

Reverse:

Centered in the reverse design is a flaming torch symbolizing liberty. The torch sits between the olive branch of peace on the left and the oak branch of victory on the right. Split into four parts between the branches and torch is the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. Since the words are divided “E PLU / RIB / US U / NUM”, there are centering dots between each word. This central design is surrounded by the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA at the top and the slightly larger denomination ONE DIME at the bottom.

Edge:

The edge of the 1987-S Roosevelt Dime is reeded with 118 reeds.

Designer

John R. Sinnock became the eighth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint upon George T. Morgan’s death in 1925, holding the position until dying on May 14, 1947. In addition to being chosen by Mint Director Nellie Ross to design both the new Roosevelt Dime and Franklin Half Dollar in 1946, Sinnock is responsible for engraving the 1926 Sesquicentennial American Independence Half Dollar and gold $2.50 for the 150th anniversary of the United States of America. Sinnock also helped sculpt the U.S. Army’s modern Purple Heart medal for Military Merit by soldiers wounded in combat.

1987-S Roosevelt Dime Coin Specifications

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