What President Is On the Dime? A Quick Guide

The US coins usually bear the portraits of real historical figures, and this tradition started in 1909 with the introduction of the Lincoln Cent. Among these iconic designs, one may notice the dime, another numismatic creation featuring a prominent president whose contributions should have been perpetuated in metal.

So, which president is on the dime, and why exactly was this person chosen for this honor? Learn how to identify the coin by its face, and let us become numismatists with expertise together.

Who Is on the Dime?

First of all, let us answer the titled question: who is the president on the dime? The face on this coin belongs to Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States.

Roosevelt's work was closely related to the most challenging periods in US history, which included World War II and the Great Depression. To commemorate the contributions and activism of a person who managed to lead the country through the darkest times, in 1946, the US Mint released a new dime design with a portrait of this fine president (1946 Roosevelt dime value).

Why Roosevelt?

The appearance of Franklin D. Roosevelt on the dime was not surprising. The first and foremost reason was mentioned above – it comes down to the fact that he led the nation through two major events of the XX century, namely the Great Depression and World War II. 

However, his connection to the dimes is far stronger than one may think. In fact, Roosevelt was a big supporter of the March of Dimes, a campaign meant to combat polio, which he himself fought after receiving a diagnosis in 1921. As a result of this great initiative, there was developed a polio vaccine, which encouraged Americans to pay dimes to support research and treatments.

In the end, it was him to be placed on the surface of this coin. 1946 was the year when this design was distributed for the first time.

Why 1946? 

The answer would be as simple as possible. 1946 meant the right time to honor President Roosevelt, who passed away less than a year ago. The Treasury wasted no time in redesigning the coin. By 1946, the new dime was finally struck and distributed all along the country. This is how the Winged Liberty Head design was replaced and the legacy of a beloved president was immortalized.

What Does a Dime Look Like? 

The dime may be the smallest US coin, but it is not the least interesting for sure. As for its design, the obverse features a left-facing profile of Franklin D. Roosevelt, developed by sculptor John R. Sinnock, as well as the year of minting, the national motto "IN GOD WE TRUST", and the word "LIBERTY".

On the reverse, one may see an elegant depiction of a torch in the center, flanked by an olive branch to the left and an oak branch to the right, all surrounded by the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", "ONE DIME", and "E PLURIBUS UNUM", which means "Out of Many, One" in Latin.

Here is more about the 1964 silver Roosevelt dime.

If you wish to study a more comprehensive description, you are always free to appeal to apps like Coin ID Scanner, designed specifically for insatiably curious numismatists. Coin ID Scanner, for example, may provide you with information about any coin in the world, as it is connected to a large international database and may gain data from other coin enthusiasts, too. 

Try now, and let your exploration begin. 

Sources: 

1. https://kids.usmint.gov/about-the-mint/dime 

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_dime