Rare Dimes and the Eisenhower Collection: Your Spare Change Could Be Worth Thousands

For numismatic enthusiasts and casual collectors alike, the search for valuable coins can turn spare change into genuine treasure. While many focus on iconic pieces like the Eisenhower dime from the 1970s, there’s another gem hiding in circulation that could fetch prices well above face value. The 1982 Roosevelt dime without a mint mark represents one of modern coinage’s most intriguing errors—one that savvy hunters are still discovering today.

Identifying the 1982 Roosevelt “No P” Dime: A Collector’s Guide

The key to spotting this valuable coin lies in understanding what should normally be there. According to PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) price guide editor Jaime Hernandez, approximately 150,000 Roosevelt dimes left Philadelphia’s mint in 1982 bearing a critical production mistake. These coins are missing the “P” mint mark that typically appears to the right of the date on the obverse side.

To check if you have one of these rare specimens, examine your dime carefully. Look at the area immediately to the right of “1982” on the coin’s face. Under normal circumstances, you would spot a letter representing which U.S. mint facility produced the coin—P for Philadelphia, D for Denver, S for San Francisco, or W for West Point. When that space is completely blank, you’ve potentially found a valuable error coin.

Understanding the Value: Grading and Market Prices

The rarity of the 1982 No P dime translates directly to significant monetary value. PCGS documentation shows that specimens graded at MS66 (a high-quality uncirculated rating) typically sell around $300. The scale progresses upward through MS67 and MS68 ratings—with a 2022 NGC-graded (Numismatic Guaranty Company) MS67 example achieving $630 at auction.

The record holder remains impressive even by today’s standards. A MS68-graded specimen sold through Heritage Auctions back in 2004 for $2,185, demonstrating the upper range of what serious collectors will pay for pristine examples. Understanding the grading system helps explain these price variations. The numerical rating from MS-60 through MS-70 reflects a coin’s condition, ranging from heavily marked circulation pieces (MS-60) to virtually flawless specimens (MS-70). Each step up the scale typically commands exponentially higher prices.

From Discovery to Collection: The History of the 1982 No P Dimes

The story of how these coins entered circulation is as remarkable as their current collectibility. Most 1982 No P dimes were initially found in or around Sandusky, Ohio—some even distributed as change at Cedar Point Amusement Park during that summer season. Walter Placzwkis, Andrew Macdonald, and Lane Durkee are credited among the first discoverers, according to Hernandez’s research.

Today, many of these rare dimes remain in circulation, unknown to their current holders. Like the sought-after Eisenhower dime that appeals to vintage coin enthusiasts, the 1982 Roosevelt No P dime has become a favorite among error coin specialists and value hunters.

Systematic Hunting: Strategies for Finding Rare Dimes

If you’re serious about discovering one of these valuable coins, passive searching isn’t your best approach. Coin roll hunting—the practice of systematically acquiring rolls of coins from banks, checking each piece, and returning the common ones—has become a legitimate collecting hobby. Dedicated hunters spend hours rolling through hundreds of coins to find valuable errors or rare dates.

Start by visiting local banks and requesting rolls of dimes. Sort through them methodically, looking specifically for that telltale blank space where a mint mark should appear on 1982 dimes. Many collectors document their discoveries and connect with online communities to verify findings and learn from others’ successes.

Building Your Collection: Next Steps

Whether you’re pursuing Eisenhower dimes, Roosevelt no-mint-mark pieces, or other valuable error coins, the fundamentals remain consistent. Protect any promising specimens you discover—avoid excessive handling that could damage the coin’s surface. If a 1982 dime shows signs of being uncirculated or in exceptional condition, consider professional grading through services like PCGS or NGC to verify its authenticity and establish its market value.

The treasure hunt for rare dimes continues to reward patient collectors. Your next visit to the bank—or that forgotten jar of coins in your closet—might just yield a find worth significantly more than ten cents.