Historically, the Roosevelt Dimes haven’t been getting that much attention from coin collectors. It has become so bad that this lack of interest is affecting the value of most Roosevelt Dimes. As a member of this coin series, the 1977 Roosevelt Dime has not seen a significant growth in its value. So, what is it worth?
According to our research, Regular-struck Circulated 1977 Dimes are worth 15 cents regardless of condition. About Uncirculated 1977 Roosevelt Dimes are valued by NGC at between 15 cents and 25 cents depending on the coin’s condition. Mint State 1977 Dimes are worth between $1 and $65.
Despite having superior eye appeal, Proof 1977-S Dimes are worth a lot less, with NGC valuing them between 55 cents and $80 in mint condition. If we were to tabulate this data, it would look something like the table below.
1977 Dime Valuation Chart
| 1977 Dime Condition | Estimated Value | ||
| 1977-P Dime | 1977-D Dime | 1977-S Proof Dime | |
| Circulated
(G4 – XF40) |
$0.15 | $0.15 | – |
| About Uncirculated (AU50 – AU58) | $0.15 – $0.25 | $0.15 – $0.25 | – |
| Uncirculated
(MS60 – MS64) |
$1 – $5 | $1 – $5 | $0.55 – $2.50 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS65 or higher) | $10 – $50 | $10 – $65 | $3.85 – 80.00 |
But before you flash your 1977 Dimes down the toilet and throw a fit on the count of their low value, you should know that there are some valuable varieties that can fetch more than $1,000. In this article, we’ll discuss these valuable varieties and how to identify them. But first, some history.
1977 Dime: Historical Background
The 1977 Dime is the 32nd iteration of the Roosevelt Dime, a family of 10-cent coins that have been running since 1946. The first Roosevelt Dime was released on January 30th, 1946 (Roosevelt’s birthday) to honor the recently fallen 32nd President of the United States.
The 1977 Roosevelt Dime features bands that run across the torch on their reverse face. And if you’re familiar with American coinage, you’ll know that the U.S. Mint has had trouble in the past striking bands and stairs. It happened on the Mercury Dime, and it has happened to many Roosevelt Dimes.
Most 1977 Dimes did not have well-defined bands on their torches. This problem was so widespread that we refer to examples without full bands as regular-struck 1977 Dimes. Well-struck 1977 Dimes showed full bands, and they became their own variety. These coins are rare among the 1977-P and 1977-D varieties.
They became more valuable, too, with NGC valuing 1977 Dimes with Full Bands at between $25 and $1,200, depending on their condition. And FYI, 1977-P Dimes with Full Bands are a little more valuable than equally graded 1977-D Dimes with Full Bands. More on these varieties later.
1977 Dime: Physical Features
The 1977 Dime came after the Coinage Act of 1965. And as such, it had to adopt the Johnson Sandwich. Named after then-president Lyndon B. Johnson, the Johnson Sandwich was a planchet with a copper core beneath a copper-nickel cladding. The Dime retained its silver coloring post-1965, but its metallic composition was severely altered beyond 1965.
Below is a highlight of the 1977 Dime’s key physical attributes.
1977 Dime: Physical Characteristics
| Physical Feature | Notes |
| Color | Silver |
| Metallic Composition | 91.67% Copper
8.33% Nickel |
| Weight | 2.27 grams |
| Diameter | 17.90 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
Obverse Design and Features
The design you see above has graced the obverse of the Roosevelt Dime since its inception in 1946, albeit with annual updates on the date. This design was imagined, realized, and sculpted by then-chief engraver of the U.S. Mint, John R. Sinnock.
Sinnock’s design for the obverse included the following elements:
- The right-facing bust of President Franklin D. Roosevelt(FDR)
- The inscription “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
- The legend “LIBERTY”
- The date “1977”
- The mint mark (D, S, or none)
- The designer’s initials, “JS” (John Sinnock)
Reverse Design and Features
The reverse design of the 1977 Dime has also been featured on the Roosevelt Dime since 1946. And like its obverse, the reverse of the 1977 Dime was designed by former John R. Sinnock.
Below are the characters that make the reverse of the 1977 Roosevelt Dime:
- A blazing torch with two pairs of horizontal bands
- Sprigs of oak and olive trees
- The inscription “E PLURIBUS UNUM”
- The country of issue “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”
- The Denomination “ONE DIME”
1977 Dime: Varieties and Valuation
All the big three mints took part in the 1977 Dime’s production in some capacity. This involvement gave us three mint mark varieties we’re accustomed to. But the way in which they struck their coins gave rise to the Full Band (FB) sub-variety, or as NGC calls it, Full Torch (FT).
Below is a breakdown of the value of these varieties.
1977-P Dime Value
- U.S. Mint: Philadelphia
- Mintage: 796,930,000
- Mint Mark: None
The Philadelphia Mint made close to 800 million dimes in 1977. Some of these Roosevelt Dimes were well-struck with Full Bands, but most were poorly struck with fuzzy bands. There are so many 1977 Dimes sporting fuzzy bands that we refer to them as regular 1977-P Dimes.
But how much value do they hold?
Regular-Struck 1977-P Dimes will be in every condition imaginable. 1977 Dimes with Full Bands will only be in mint condition, probably because the wear that is synonymous with circulation knocks out the distinctive detail on the horizontal bands.
In circulated condition, the 1977-P Dime is worth 15 cents regardless of condition. Whether in Good, Very Good, Fine, Very Fine, or Extremely Fine, NGC places its value at 15 cents.
About Circulated 1977-P Dimes are slightly more valuable, with values that range between 15 cents and 25 cents. In mint condition, 1977-P Dimes are worth between $1 and $50.
Most of the 1977-P Dimes with Full Bands are valued between $45 and $1,200, depending on their grade. Let’s take a more comparative approach and highlight the value of these varieties.
| Coin Condition | Estimated Value | |
| Regular-Struck | Full Bands | |
| Good (G4) | $0.15 | – |
| Very Good (VG8) | $0.15 | – |
| Fine (F12) | $0.15 | – |
| Very Fine (VF20) | $0.15 | – |
| Extremely Fine (XF40) | $0.15 | – |
| About Uncirculated (AU50) | $0.15 | – |
| About Uncirculated (AU58) | $0.25 | – |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $1 | – |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS64) | $5 | $45 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS67) | $50 | $1,200 |
While value estimates may help set a reserve price in an auction, they don’t dictate the final selling price. We found four of the biggest auctions involving 1977-P Dimes and organized them in the table below:
| Variety | Grade | Sales Price | Auction Firm |
| Full Bands | MS67FB | $1,020 | Heritage Auction |
| Full Bands | MS66FB | $64 | Heritage Auctions |
| Regular Strike | MS67 | $50 | Heritage Auctions |
| Regular Strike | MS67 | $36 | Heritage Auctions |
1977-D Dime Value
- U.S. Mint: Denver
- Mintage: 376,607,228
- Mint Mark: D
Nobody knows how many 1977-D Dimes were struck with full bands. But we know that most of the 376 million dimes that came out of the Denver Mint had fuzzy bands. Consequently, examples with full bands have become more valuable than regular-struck 1977-D Roosevelt Dimes.
NGC estimates that circulated 1977-D Dimes will have a value of 15 cents regardless of condition. Uncirculated examples are estimated to be worth between 15 and 25 cents.
And due to their superior eye appeal, uncirculated 1977-D Dimes are worth more than their circulated counterparts. NGC estimates the value of mint state 1977-D Dimes to be between $1 and $65.
Again, due to their rarity, 1977-D Dimes with Full Bands are more valuable than their regular-struck opposites. They’ll always be in mint condition with values that range between $25 and $280, depending on their grade.
The table below compares the value of these two varieties of the 1977-D Dime.
| Coin Condition | Estimated Value | |
| Regular-Struck | Full Bands | |
| Good (G4) | $0.15 | – |
| Very Good (VG8) | $0.15 | – |
| Fine (F12) | $0.15 | – |
| Very Fine (VF20) | $0.15 | – |
| Extremely Fine (XF40) | $0.15 | – |
| About Uncirculated (AU50) | $0.15 | – |
| About Uncirculated (AU58) | $0.25 | – |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $1 | – |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS64) | $5 | $25 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS67) | $65 | $280 |
Things don’t always play out on auction the way we expect them to. Sometimes, coins sell for way more than their estimated value. And on other occasions, they sell for way less. It’s all dictated by demand.
Below are notable auctions involving 1977-D Dimes:
| Variety | Grade | Sales Price | Auction Firm |
| Full Bands | MS67FB | $1,020 | Heritage Auctions |
| Full Bands | MS67FB | $211.50 | Heritage Auctions |
| Regular Strike | MS67 | $50 | Great Collections |
| Full Bands | MS66FB | $86 | Great Collections |
1977-S Dime Value
- U.S. Mint: San Francisco
- Mintage: 3,251,152
- Mint Mark: S
In 1977, the San Francisco Mint only struck proof coins. They were all well-struck in proof, cameo, and deep cameo varieties. All were showing full bands, and they were spectacular.
And while they look good with mirror-like fields and frosty reliefs, there are way too many examples in the coin market. This availability has negatively impacted their value, making 1977-S Proof Dimes the least valuable variety among all 1977 Dimes. Yes, 1977-S Proof Dimes (with Full Bands) are less valuable than similarly graded 1977-D and 1977-P Dimes.
Since 1977-S proof Dimes skipped circulation, they will be in mint condition. Their values typically range from 55 cents to $80, depending on their condition.
Below is a more detailed representation of the value of 1977-S Proof Dimes:
| Coin Condition | Estimated Value | ||
| Proof | Cameo | Deep Cameo | |
| Uncirculated (PR60) | $0.55 | – | – |
| Uncirculated (PR61) | $0.60 | – | – |
| Uncirculated (PR62) | $0.77 | – | – |
| Uncirculated (PR63) | $1.40 | – | – |
| Uncirculated (PR64) | $2.50 | – | – |
| Uncirculated (PR65) | $3.85 | $5.74 | $8.75 |
| Uncirculated (PR66) | $5.75 | $7.50 | $11.50 |
| Uncirculated (PR67) | $8.25 | $10 | $13 |
| Uncirculated (PR68) | $10 | $12.5 | $14 |
| Uncirculated (PR69) | $15 | $18 | $20 |
| Uncirculated (PR70) | $35 | $50 | $80 |
Most auction prices are consistent with the NGC’s value estimates above. But for those that sold for above and beyond, they are listed in the table below.
| Variety | Grade | Sales Price | Auction Firm |
| Deep Cameo | PR70DCAM | $1,035 | Heritage Auctions |
| Deep Cameo | PR70DCAM | $776 | Heritage Auctions |
| Deep Cameo | PR70DCAM | $357 | Heritage Auctions |
| Deep Cameo | PR70DCAM | $253 | Heritage Auctions |
1977 Dime: Valuable Error Coins
Not all the dimes that were struck in 1977 were perfect. Some of them came off with interesting deformities. Below are five valuable error coins I found on the internet.
1. 1977-D Roosevelt Dime with Obverse Capped Die Error: Sold for $1,725
Sometimes, a coin gets stuck on the die that struck it. If the coin is not manually removed, the die will continue striking other blanks through the coin that’s stuck on it. The more blanks it strikes, the more the stuck coin deforms and adopts the shape of a bottle cap, hence the name “Die Cap.”
And that’s how this 1977-D Dime got its weird shape and appearance. NGC, in their infinite experience, graded it a Brilliant MS69. This coin was sold for $1,762.50.
2. 1977-D Roosevelt Dime, Cupped with Multiple Strikes: Sold for $489
Here’s a coin with an interesting set of errors. The most obvious is that it’s double-struck. A phantom coin seems to be emerging from the bottom right edge of the main coin. The 1977-D Dime is also cupped, indicating that it wasn’t properly ejected between the first and second strikes.
3. 1977-D Dime with Obverse Capped Die Error: Sold for $259
The Denver Mint was certainly not short of capped die errors in 1977. Here’s another dime sporting the same error. NGC graded this example a brilliant MS66. Studying the obverse, all of FDR’s facial features are well-struck, including his hair. The legend “LIBERTY” is also sharp.
4. 1977-P Dime with Double Curved Clips: Selling for $255
Sometimes, mint workers feed long strips of metal into the blanking press. This machine cuts the strip into perfectly round blanks that will be pressed into coins. But a problem arises when the strip is misaligned with the blanking press, causing it to cut into already chipped metal sheets.
This coin has two crescent-shaped clips, cutting into the date and back half of FDR’s head. With an NGC grading of MS67FB, the seller believes the coin is worth $255.
5. 1977-P Dime with Off-Center Error: Selling for $36.75
This next coin was stuck 50% off-center in the 12 O’clock direction. Most of the coin is blank, with only half of FDR’s face showing. The error is also consistent in the reverse, with only the top half showing. The coin is not graded, but it is in mint condition.
1977 Dime: Is it Worth Collecting
Like I said in the beginning, the 1977 Dime does not enjoy a lot of attention from collectors, and its value has surely suffered for that. The coin’s availability is also another thing working against it. There are way too many pristine examples out there.
Despite being the most visually striking variety, the 1977-S Proof Dime is the least valuable. This doesn’t happen unless there’s no demand.
Should you collect the 1977 Dime?
As long as you know what you’re getting into. Suppose you’re looking to buy and keep, sure. But if you’re looking for a quick flip, know the varieties to look for, like 1977-D and 1977-P Dimes with Full Bands. Error coins are also quite valuable.
Jenson is a professional numismatist, a dedicated coin collector, a graduate of the College of Business at Oregon State, a life member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), and an overall coin nerd. He is the founder of Coin Value List.