1970 Dime Value: Is Yours Worth $6,038?

The 1970 No-S Proof dime is a major mint error that occurred when proof dies destined for San Francisco were accidentally prepared without the required "S" mint mark. The U.S. Mint estimated approximately 2,200 were struck before the omission was caught, but only around 500 examples are known to exist across all grades according to PCGS population data.

Visually, the coin appears identical to any other 1970-S proof dime — same mirror-like fields, same frosted devices, same crisp strike. The one crucial difference is the complete absence of any mint mark above the date on the obverse. Even under 10× magnification, the field is clean with no trace of an "S" or evidence of removal.

Collector demand is intense because this is one of only three No-S proof dime dates (1968, 1970, and 1983), each representing a genuine Mint production error distributed through official proof sets. In PR-69 CAM, the all-time auction record stands at $6,038 (Heritage Auctions, May 2004). Standard proof grades trade in the $700–$800 range, PR-69 commands around $1,150, and PR-69 CAM examples have sold for $3,600 or more.

Full Bands is not an error — it is a strike quality designation awarded to Roosevelt dimes that were struck with sufficient pressure to produce complete separation of all horizontal bands on the reverse torch. PCGS uses the "FB" designation while NGC uses "Full Torch" (FT), which additionally requires defined vertical lines on the torch surface. The 1970 Philadelphia issue in MS-66 FB is especially difficult to find.

To recognize Full Bands, examine the reverse torch with a loupe under angled light. The horizontal bands at both the top and bottom of the torch must show unbroken, clean gaps separating each band from the others. Any flatness or merging of bands — even on one side of the torch — disqualifies the designation. Most 1970 dimes fail this test because the clad composition and high-speed production caused fine details to compress.

The Philadelphia issue in MS-66 FB is the ceiling for this variety — no 1970-P example above MS-66 FB has been certified by PCGS, making it a conditionally rare coin. A 1970-P MS-66 FB sold for $2,295 in August 2018 via eBay per PCGS auction records. The Denver Full Bands record stands at $646 for MS-68 (Heritage Auctions, December 4, 2014), described by PCGS as "a diamond in the rough."

The Reverse of 1968 (catalogued as FS-901 by PCGS and CONECA) is a transitional die variety where 1970-dated dimes were inadvertently struck using an older 1968-S proof reverse die repurposed as a business-strike working die. In 1968, the Mint used a proof die with a distinctly sharper torch flame design featuring deeply carved valleys at 45-degree angles in the flame tip — a die characteristic not present on the standard 1970 reverse hub.

The diagnostic feature is the torch flame: on the FS-901 variety, the flame shows a notably more defined, three-dimensional appearance compared to the softer, flatter standard 1970 reverse. Under a loupe, the valleys between the flame licks are deeper and more angular. Denver coin collector surveys estimate roughly 30% of 1970-D dimes may carry this reverse, suggesting widespread but overlooked distribution.

Despite its relative frequency compared to the No-S error, the FS-901 is underappreciated among casual collectors, keeping prices accessible. In certified grades, MS-64 examples have sold for around $104 (eBay/PCGS, January 2025), and MS-63 examples have brought $54–$66 at auction. The variety exists on both Philadelphia and Denver coins; the Denver version in high grade commands a premium because it is tied to the dramatically higher Denver mintage population.

Doubled die reverse (DDR) errors occur during the die-making process when the working die receives two impressions from the master hub at slightly different angles or positions. For the 1970 Roosevelt dime, PCGS and CONECA recognize two principal DDR varieties: FS-801 and FS-802, both affecting the reverse design. The doubling is mechanical in origin — a true die doubling — not to be confused with machine doubling or die chatter, which adds no premium.

On the FS-801 and FS-802 varieties, doubling manifests primarily on the reverse torch flame, the "E PLURIBUS UNUM" inscription, or the lettering in "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." Under a 10× loupe, look for distinct notching or shadowing on the outside edges of letters — each letter appears to have a second, slightly offset impression. The FS-802 variant, also listed in conjunction with the Reverse of 1968 die (FS-10-1970D-802), has been certified by ICG in MS-63 grades.

Collector value depends heavily on the strength and visibility of the doubling. Minor doubling — only visible under magnification — typically adds $10–$20 above face value. Prominent, easily visible doubling on a well-struck coin can fetch $500 or more in the right grade. A 1970-D DDR FS-802 ICG MS-63 sold for $29.99 in December 2023, while examples with stronger doubling have commanded higher prices in certified form.

Off-center strike errors occur when the planchet is not properly seated in the collar before the dies descend, causing part of the design to be struck off the planchet entirely. The result is a coin with a normal design on one portion and a completely blank, curved area where the design was missed. The severity ranges from minor (5–10% off-center) to dramatic (50%+ off-center), with values increasing proportionally.

The most important diagnostic factor is date visibility. An off-center 1970 dime where the complete date remains legible on the coin typically commands a premium over examples where the date is partially or fully absent from the planchet. A 10–20% off-center strike with the full date visible is the sweet spot for collector demand. Broadstrike errors — where the collar was missing entirely — produce coins that are wider and thinner than normal, with no edge reeding and sometimes elongated design elements near the rim.

Values for off-center strikes start at around $5 for minor misalignment and climb toward $50 or more for dramatic examples with the full date intact. Broadstruck 1970 clad dimes (without edge reeding) typically bring $10–$20. Both error types are authentic mint errors, not post-mint damage, and are distinguished from post-mint bends or cuts by the integrity of the planchet surface in the blank area — which must show the unstriated, smooth metal of a freshly cut planchet, not tool marks.