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Four generations of Americans have seen changes in the design of the item. Since 1796, Lady Liberty has been featured on the coin designs. Over the course of just over 120 years, the design was improved 5 times.
Who Is on the Dime Coin Today?
Who is on the US dime today? The leftward profile depicts Roosevelt's characteristic features:
Strong chin
Protruding forehead
The ever-present mouthpiece (unique error list and an element of his image)
Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock created this design. He worked from photographs and a sculpted portrait of Selma Burke. Who is on the face of a dime? The obverse inscription includes:
The word of freedom | Roosevelt's image |
The motto | In the left margin |
The date | Below the portrait |
The Design Details
Who is the guy on the dime design? The reverse olive and branches symbolize:
The open horizons of the future
Freedom
Strength
Peace
Although the America the Beautiful program briefly influenced the reverse design in the 21st century, the meaning of the symbols has left its mark. To understand who is on items today, one must trace American history and understand the characteristics of presidential administrations on the items.
The quote below reflects the attitude of the leading sculptor of that time about the main idea of the design and its future centuries-old image in the country.
"I didn't make it for today, I made it for tomorrow and tomorrow."
– Selma Burke, sculptor
The New York Times
Who Is the President on the Dime?
Who is the person on the dime? It is worth remembering that the design includes more than just the president's portrait. Compared to other coins, Roosevelt's choice for the item is driven by circumstances far greater than simply memorializing a president.
The quarter dollar – George Washington
Nickel – Thomas Jefferson
President Roosevelt’s Achievements
The New America
The 1930s saw economic instability in the country. New domestic policies encouraged the creation of new institutions and programs to improve the situation. The Social Security Act of 1935 also contributed to this process.
The Financial Reform led to the creation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The purpose of this organization is to protect bank deposits and to prevent financial panic among the public.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was responsible for regulating the stock market processes in the country. The SEC works to stop the kind of excessive speculation that caused the stock market crash in 1929.
Political and Social Legacy
He was the first president to use the media on the highest level. He usually used the radio to communicate directly with the American people. This helped boost national confidence during the Depression. In his 1941 speech, he outlined the fundamental human rights that he believed everyone should have worldwide.
The freedom of speech
The freedom of worship
Freedom from want
Freedom from fear
Why Was Roosevelt Chosen for the Dime?
Who is on the dime president? He was chosen because of his association with the March of Dimes. Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away on April 12, 1945, just a few weeks before the Allied forces triumphed in Europe. The nation mourned the loss of a leader who had steered America through its two most significant challenges of the century.
The government officials in charge of the treasury received a large number of letters from the public, all requesting that Roosevelt’s image be included on a coin. This suggestion was appropriate, given Roosevelt’s connection to the March of Dimes, an organization he helped establish to combat polio.
The March of Dimes
The March of Dimes was established in 1938 as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, a nonprofit organization committed to discovering a cure for polio. The organization’s name was derived from a clever fundraising campaign urging Americans to send pieces directly to the White House.
Millions responded by flooding the president’s office with funding that supported research resulting in the 1955 Salk vaccine. After Roosevelt's death, the March of Dimes pushed for his portrait to appear on the item.
The Roosevelt memory
The fight against polio
The Treasury Department authorized the design modification in 1945, and the initial Roosevelt dimes were circulated beginning on January 30, 1946 – Roosevelt’s 64th birthday.
Who Was on the Dime Before Roosevelt?
Who is on the US dime coin? The design changed more during the first 50 years than it did over the next 75. In 1796, the coin featured a Draped Bust. The obverse features a portrait of Liberty. The reverse features an eagle.
Design | Designer |
Draped Bust | Robert Scot |
Capped Bust | John Reich |
Seated Liberty | Christian Gobrecht |
Barber | Charles E. Barber |
Mercury | Adolph A. Weinman |
Roosevelt | John R. Sinnnock |
Robert Scot was the designer and lasted in various forms until 1807, when the Capped Bust item emerged and showed the Liberty in a Phrygian cap. The early pieces struck in silver. Certain American coins are known as some of the rarest and most valuable. When these coins are in good condition, auction prices for them often exceed six figures.
From 1837 to 1891, the dominant design for such coins was the Seated Liberty coin. Christian Gobrecht created this design. It features an image of Liberty. The appearance of the figure on the previous Roosevelt coin changed in 1892, the year when the Barber coin entered circulation. The new design was on three coin types:
The 10 cents
The quarter
The half dollar
Note: The design also included a wreath surrounding a star.
The Mercury Dime
Who is on the dime before Roosevelt? Before the item, there was the 1916 Liberty / Mercury item. Adolph A. Weinman's design shows Liberty wearing a cap. The headdress was considered the embodiment of free thought for every American.
The Americans associated the portrait with the Roman god Mercury and created the nickname. The Mercury piece actually depicts Liberty, not Mercury, though the name persists.
This design is beloved by professional collectors for its distinctive design. Who is on the Mercury dime?
History of the U.S. Dime Design (Timeline)
Period | Type | Features |
1796–1807 | Draped Bust ultra-rare items | Lady Liberty with flowing hair and a ribbon |
1809–1837 | Capped Bust | Liberty with a cap – symbol of freedom |
1837–1891 | Seated Liberty | Liberty is sitting on the rock |
1892–1916 | Barber | Lady Liberty wears a laurel wreath and a cap |
1916–1945 | Mercury | Winged Liberty Head |
1946–2025 | Roosevelt | Franklin D. Roosevelt, March of Dimes priority |
2026 – Emerging Liberty, one-year only redesign for the U.S. 250th Anniversary
Who is on the American dime 2027? – Roosevelt Item, the design returns as the standard circulation piece.
Details of the Lady Liberty Period
1796–1807 Liberty
Legend suggests the profile was based on Ann Willing Bingham, a wealthy Philadelphia socialite and one of the most beautiful women of the post-Revolutionary period. Under the Coinage Act of 1792, only copper cents were required to show their value. Originally, the Mint added a star for every new state.
1796 – 15 stars
1797 – 16 stars
Mint Director Elias Boudinot realized the design would soon be cluttered and ordered the Mint to stick to 13 stars to honor the original colonies.
1809–1837 Liberty
John Reich, a German immigrant and former indentured servant. He was the first to significantly modernize the dime's look. The item was the first to actually state its value, 10 cents. Liberty wears a cap, which in the ancient world was given to slaves upon their freedom – a symbol of American independence.
1837–1891 Liberty
Mint Director Robert Patterson wanted a design similar to the British Seated Britannia. In 1853 and 1873, the Mint added tiny arrows next to the date. These weren't just for decoration – they signaled to the public that the weight of the silver in the coin had changed due to fluctuating market prices. This design lasted 54 years, surviving the Civil War and the transition into the Industrial Revolution.
Future Items
How much is a dime worth? There is an incredible change, as the Roosevelt design has remained unchanged since its debut following World War II. Do not confuse with who is on the dime Eisenhower, because it was a dollar.
Obverse
Who is on the front of the dime? Features a modern Lady Liberty with her hair in the winds of revolution. It includes the dual date 1776–2026, and the new designer is Justin Kunz, a member of the Artistic Infusion Program.
Reverse
The American eagle in flight with arrows, as a symbol of the fight for independence, with the unique inscription Liberty Over Tyranny.
FAQ
What was the dime before Roosevelt?
Before the item was the Mercury piece. People came up with a nickname in honor of the god Mercury.
Who is on the nickel and who is on the dime?
Who is on the penny, nickel, dime, quarter? On the nickel – Thomas Jefferson, the third United States president. Franklin D. Roosevelt is the 32nd president, who face is on the dime, which was the 1946–2025 period obverse figure.
Who is on the Roosevelt dime?
Who is on the front of a dime? Franklin D. Roosevelt is a great American president who transformed economic and social processes to a new high level in the United States. Remember the March of Dimes project, which saved many lives.
What person is on the dime?
Since 1946, Franklin D. Roosevelt has been the main figure on American coins. The government's choice to perpetuate his memory didn't just happen that way. There are many important public reasons to do that.
Who's on the dime today?
Modern and old items contain the 32nd US president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. The designers' tenacity and public support contributed to the clear lines of the president's portrait.
Was Thomas Jefferson on the dime?
Who is on the nickel and dime? Thomas Jefferson is on the nickel, not on the 10 cents. The item has featured either representations of Liberty or Franklin D. Roosevelt throughout its history. The nickel adopted Jefferson's image in 1938, switching the Buffalo nickel project.
How much is a Roosevelt Dime worth today?
How much a Roosevelt piece is worth today depends on the coin’s condition. Circulated items from 1965 cost $1.50 to $3.00 based on silver content. Rare error varieties and proof ones reach $1,000 or more.
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