LemonTrades
TL;DR
- US dimes dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver and hold 0.0723 troy ounces each. The melt value is live below.
- Dimes from 1965 on are copper-nickel and worth 10 cents, apart from collector proof coins.
- Most worn silver dimes sell for about their silver. Some dates, such as the 1916-D Mercury, are worth far more.
- LemonTrades follows the silver price for you, with alerts on sharp moves and the likely cause.
Check the date: a 1964 or earlier dime is worth many times its face value.
Which dimes are silver
| Dime | Years | Silver |
|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt | 1946 to 1964 | 90% |
| Mercury (Winged Liberty) | 1916 to 1945 | 90% |
| Barber | 1892 to 1916 | 90% |
| Silver proof sets | 1992 on | 90%, then 99.9% from 2019 |
| Everyday Roosevelt dimes | 1965 on | None |
Quick check: look at the edge. A silver dime’s edge is solid silver; a modern dime shows a copper stripe.
Dimes worth more than their silver
- 1916-D Mercury: the key date, worth hundreds to thousands of dollars.
- 1921 and 1921-D Mercury dimes also carry big premiums.
- Uncirculated coins with full detail, such as Mercury dimes with fully split bands, sell for much more.
See also silver quarters, junk silver and every US silver coin.
Sources
- US Mint: Coin specifications
- Wikipedia: Roosevelt dime
- Wikipedia: Mercury dime
- Wikipedia: Coinage Act of 1965
Education, not financial advice. See our disclaimer.
