Collectors Corner^SM: The Collectibles Marketplace

Roosevelt Dimes offer collectors an affordable avenue for obtaining classic silver. Click image to enlarge.

As silver prices have risen to historic highs, many budget-conscious collectors are beginning to wonder how they, too, can get in on the bullion action without overextending their discretionary hobby funds. Surely silver dollars – namely the classic Morgan and Peace Dollars – have long been where hobbyists have focused because those coins could (until fairly recently) be obtained for prices as low as $20 or $30 a pop. But with the current silver price now considerably higher than it once was, classic silver dollars are now approaching prices of $100 and up, even for more pedestrian dates in lower uncirculated grades.

The pricing dynamics for classic silver dollars is beginning to push some collectors to smaller – and more common – precious-metals coins. One such option that collectors should consider, regardless of their personal numismatic budget, is the Roosevelt Dime. This contemporary series launched in 1946 when the denomination was still being struck in a 90% silver format. All Roosevelt Dimes struck from 1946 through 1964 were composed of silver, including many proofs struck since 1992. The coin’s size and weight, both of which are significantly smaller than boasted by the silver dollar, puts the typical silver Roosevelt Dime at a much lower price point than what collectors would typically shell out for the silver dollars of yore.

Another cost-advantageous factor when collecting Roosevelt Dimes is that the series lacks any expensive key dates. Therefore, one could put together an entire circulated date-and-mintmark set of 90% silver Roosevelt Dimes struck from 1946 through 1964 for prices close to their melt values, which as of this writing remain obtainable for a broad swath of budget-minded collectors. The beauty of the Roosevelt Dime is that it does offer some outstanding conditional rarities, making this series a terrific place for PCGS Set Registry collectors to devote their attention.