1993 Roosevelt Dime Errors: Value Guide & Rare Varieties

More than 1.5 billion 1993 Roosevelt Dimes rolled off the presses in Philadelphia and Denver, making them one of the most common coins in American pockets. But hidden among all those ordinary dimes are genuine mint errors that slipped past quality control — and a few are worth serious money. Check the standard 1993 dime value guide for baseline prices, then use this error guide to find out if your coin is one of the rare ones.

Key areas to check on a 1993 Roosevelt Dime: mintmark location (below date), edge (copper stripe or solid silver?), and overall design placement.

1993 Roosevelt Dime Specs, Mintage & Baseline Values

Before hunting for errors, you need to know what a normal 1993 dime looks like — and how much it weighs. Weight is the single most important diagnostic tool for this year. Any reading more than 0.10g outside the standard is a red flag worth investigating.

1993-S Proof Values: Silver vs. Clad

San Francisco produced only proof dimes in 1993 — no business strikes. If you have an S-mint coin, it is either a Clad Proof or a Silver Proof. The fastest way to tell them apart: look at the edge. A visible copper stripe running around the edge means Clad (2.27g, worth $3–$6 in pristine condition). A solid silver edge with no copper stripe means Silver Proof (2.50g, worth $15–$25). A silver proof found spent in circulation is still worth $8–$15 even with wear.

Clad proof edge (left): visible copper stripe. Silver proof edge (right): uniform solid silver. Weight confirms: 2.27g = clad, 2.50g = silver.

Required tools: Digital scale (0.01g accuracy), 10x loupe, magnet (genuine clad dimes are non-magnetic). See full 1993 dime value guide →

1993 Roosevelt Dime Quick Checks: Do You Have a Valuable Error?

Run through these five checks in order. The first three can reveal genuine errors worth real money; the last two will save you from chasing expensive false alarms. You need a digital scale (0.01g accuracy) and a 10x loupe (a small magnifying glass).

Weight is the decisive test. Under 2.15g: investigate for missing clad layer. Over 2.45g: investigate for wrong planchet. 2.27g: normal clad dime.

1993 Roosevelt Dime Error & Variety Value Table

All verified error types for the 1993 Roosevelt Dime ranked from highest to lowest value. Error types linked in the first column have a full identification guide in the Jackpots section below.

Values are retail estimates as of January 2026. Error coin values vary with grade, eye appeal, and current market conditions. Professional authentication (PCGS/NGC) is recommended for any coin valued above $50.

1993 Roosevelt Dime Jackpots: Rare Errors Worth Real Money

These are the errors that make experienced collectors stop and stare. Each entry explains what the error is, how it happened, how to identify it, what can fool you, and what it is worth.

1993-D Double Denomination Mule (Cent Obverse / Dime Reverse)

The 1993-D Mule concept: Lincoln Cent obverse design paired with Roosevelt Dime reverse design on a single planchet. Auction record: $51,750.

Origin & Background

A mule is a coin struck with dies belonging to two different denominations. The verified 1993-D mule shows a Lincoln Cent obverse die paired with a Roosevelt Dime reverse die, striking a single planchet. This proves a catastrophic die mix-up occurred at the Denver Mint — a dime reverse die ended up in or near the cent press setup. Such errors are almost always caught immediately; this specimen survived, making it extraordinarily rare. Its confirmed auction result of $51,750 at Heritage Auctions is the crown jewel of 1993 dime error collecting.

How to Identify

• One side shows a Lincoln Cent design (Lincoln portrait or Lincoln Memorial); the other shows the Roosevelt Dime reverse (torch flanked by olive and oak branches, “ONE DIME”).
• Both sides must show genuine die details — not a glued, machined, or altered composite novelty.
• Verify the edge: a genuine mule has a single, continuous edge with no seam or join line.
• This is a known unique specimen. Immediate professional authentication is required before any claims.

False Positives to Avoid

Two coins machined or glued together is the most common fake. Check the edge carefully for any seam, thickness inconsistency, or sign of alteration. Genuine mules have a single continuous edge. Any irregularity = novelty, not a mint error.

Auction Record

$51,750 (Heritage Auctions).

1993 Roosevelt Dime Struck on Cent Planchet

Normal dime (left, silver, 2.27g) versus dime struck on a cent planchet (right, copper-colored, ~2.50g, distorted rim from oversized planchet).

Origin & Background

In this error, dime dies accidentally struck a copper-plated zinc cent planchet (intended for a Lincoln Cent) instead of a dime planchet. The result is a coin bearing the full Roosevelt Dime design but colored copper and weighing approximately 2.50g — the weight of a cent, not a dime (2.27g).

How to Identify

• Color: Copper-toned, not the silver-white of a normal dime.
• Weight: Approximately 2.50g (cent weight). A normal dime is 2.27g.
• Design: Full Roosevelt Dime design must be visible — not a Lincoln Cent design.
• Rim/Edge: The cent planchet (19.05mm) is larger than the dime collar (17.90mm). The design may be cut off at the edges or show a distorted rim from metal flowing outward unrestrained.
• Professional authentication by PCGS or NGC is required before assigning value.

False Positives to Avoid

Environmental damage can turn a clad dime copper-colored. The decisive test: if it weighs 2.27g, it is a damaged clad dime, not a wrong planchet error. Also check for plated novelty coins, which retain standard weight and often lack the sharpness of a genuine mint strike.

Market Values

• ✦ Verified wrong planchet (P or D mint): $500–$1,000+ depending on grade and eye appeal.

1993 Roosevelt Dime Missing Clad Layer

Normal dime (left, silver, 2.27g) versus missing clad layer (right, bright copper-red with sharp struck details, ~1.95g). Weight is the definitive test.

Origin & Background

Dimes are made from a “clad” metal sandwich: copper-nickel outer layers bonded to a pure copper core. If the bonding failed before the planchets were punched — a defect in the raw metal strip itself — one side of the blank has no copper-nickel layer. The die then strikes directly onto the exposed copper core. The coin can survive multiple quality-control steps because the weight difference, while measurable on a scale, was not large enough to be mechanically rejected by the sorting equipment of the era.

How to Identify

• Visual: One side is bright copper-red; the other retains normal silver luster. The rim transition from copper to silver is typically sharp and defined.
• Details: The copper side must have sharp, fully struck design details — not corroded, mushy, or blistered.
• Weight (decisive): Missing one clad layer → approximately 1.8g–2.1g. Standard dime = 2.27g. Any reading below 2.15g deserves investigation. Dual missing (both sides copper) → approximately 1.8g.

False Positives to Avoid

Environmental damage, heat, and acid all discolor dimes but these damaged coins weigh the correct 2.27g and have degraded design details. Key rule: a true missing clad layer coin is lightweight AND sharp. If either criterion fails, it is likely damage, not a mint error.

Market Values by Severity

• ✦ Partial missing (<50% of one side): $10–$30
• ✦ Full missing (one complete side, sharp details): $75–$150+
• ✦ Dual missing (both sides copper, ~1.8g): $500+ — extremely rare

Auction Record

$135 for a MS-63 single-side missing clad layer example.

1993 Roosevelt Dime Off-Center Strike

Off-center severity scale: minor (<10%), moderate (10–30%, date visible, best value), major (30–60%). Date visibility is the primary value driver.

Origin & Background

An off-center strike happens when the planchet is not properly fed into the collar before the dies close. Part of the planchet sits outside the die face, leaving a crescent-shaped area of blank, unstruck metal. The percentage of misalignment determines both visual drama and market value.

How to Identify

• A clear, crescent-shaped area of bare planchet on the coin.
• The design is shifted to one side on both the obverse and reverse.
• The date and mintmark must be readable for maximum value. If they are lost, the coin cannot be attributed to 1993 and value drops significantly.

False Positives to Avoid

A Misaligned Die (MAD) is frequently confused with an off-center strike. With a MAD, only one side is off-center; the opposite side is perfectly normal and centered. True off-center strikes are misaligned on both sides. MAD coins are worth face value to $1.00 unless misalignment is severe enough to cut off design elements.

Market Values by Severity

• ✦ Minor (<10%, no clear crescent): Face value–$2.00
• ✦ Moderate (10–30%, date readable): $15–$30
• ✦ Major (30–60%, date readable): $30–$60+
• ✦ Unidentifiable (date lost): $5–$10

Auction Record

Approximately $30 for a raw moderate off-center example.

1993 Roosevelt Dime Broadstrike

Normal dime (left) with reeded edge versus broadstrike (right) with smooth rounded edge and slightly wider diameter. The collar die failed to deploy.

Origin & Background

Dimes are struck inside a collar die — a ring that contains the metal and forms the characteristic reeded (ridged) edge. A broadstrike occurs when the collar fails to deploy. Without the collar, metal spreads outward freely during the strike, making the coin slightly larger than the standard 17.90mm and eliminating the reeded edge entirely.

How to Identify

• The edge is smooth and rounded — no reeding (ridges) at all.
• Diameter slightly exceeds 17.90mm.
• The complete design is present; the coin is centered, not off-center.

False Positives to Avoid

A worn or buffed rim is not a broadstrike — it will still measure the correct 17.90mm and retain some reeding traces. Post-mint damage from being run over or squeezed creates uneven distortion, not the uniform expansion of a true broadstrike. A genuine broadstrike has a smooth, symmetrical, rounded edge.

Market Values

• ✦ Typical raw broadstrike: $5–$15

Auction Record

Approximately $8 for a raw example.

1993-P Straight G Die Variety (ODV-015)

Origin & Background

The ODV-015 designation (from the VarietyVista attribution file) identifies a minor die variety for the 1993-P dime. It shows a distinctive straight crossbar on the letter G in “IN GOD WE TRUST” on the obverse. This is the only recognized variety for 1993 P-mint dimes; it carries a minimal premium and is primarily of interest to variety specialists.

How to Identify

• Compare the G in “GOD” on your 1993-P coin to a normal example under 10x magnification.
• The ODV-015 shows a noticeably straighter, flatter crossbar on the G than the standard curved form.
• Applies to Philadelphia-mint (P) coins only.

False Positives to Avoid

Normal die wear and strike variation can produce slight differences in letter form that do not qualify as the ODV-015 variety. Only a clear, consistent straight G matching the VarietyVista attribution qualifies. Many online listings labeled “1993 DDO” are in fact Machine Doubling — not die varieties of any kind.

Market Values

• ✦ Mint State example: $2–$5

1993 Roosevelt Dime Traps: Common Misidentifications

These are the most common reasons collectors think they have a jackpot — but don’t. Knowing these will save time, money, and disappointment.

Machine doubling (left): flat shelf-like ghost image, lower relief, no premium. True doubled die (right): rounded split serifs at the same relief height, potentially valuable.

Normal P mintmark (left) versus grease-filled die result (right, faint or absent P). This is the “No P” trap — worth face value, not thousands.

1993 Roosevelt Dime Grading: How Condition Affects Error Value

For standard 1993 dimes, grade has minimal impact because the coin is common at every level. For error coins, grade can multiply or divide value significantly.

• 🔵 Circulated (AG–XF): Error coins remain collectible if the error itself is clear and dramatic. A circulated off-center strike with a visible crescent and readable date is still worth $15–$30. Missing clad layers with sharp struck details in circulated grades typically bring $20–$75.
• 🟢 Mint State (MS-60–MS-65): Premiums jump. An MS-63 missing clad layer example achieved $135 at auction. Higher MS grades push values toward the upper ends of the listed ranges.
• ⭐ MS-66 and above: Superb gem error coins for 1993 are genuinely rare. Market data is limited, but comparable modern clad era errors in MS-66+ typically command multiples of their MS-63 counterparts.

Eye appeal matters as much as the numerical grade for error coins. A visually dramatic full-copper missing clad layer or a large off-center strike with sharp design details will sell faster and higher than a borderline example at the same grade number.

1993 Roosevelt Dime Authentication: When to Get It Certified

Not every error coin needs professional certification (called “slabbing” by collectors). Third-party grading (TPG) by PCGS or NGC encases the coin in a tamper-evident holder with a grade and attribution — critical for buying, selling, and establishing auction value.

• ✅ Submit to PCGS or NGC if: Your coin weighs below 2.15g (possible missing clad layer), above 2.45g (possible wrong planchet), shows a clear crescent-shaped blank area, or appears to show mismatched denomination designs on each side.
• ✅ Cost-vs-value threshold: Standard PCGS/NGC submission costs roughly $30–$50 per coin. Only submit if the expected authenticated value significantly exceeds the fee. A broadstrike worth $5–$15 raw rarely justifies certification. A missing clad layer worth $75–$150+ almost always does.
• ✅ Before submitting: Photograph both sides of the coin under good lighting. This documents its pre-submission condition and protects you.
• ✅ Where to submit: PCGS (pcgs.com) and NGC (ngccoin.com) are the two leading services accepted by most dealers and major auction houses.

Dealer referral information is not available in this guide. Consult local coin clubs, Heritage Auctions, or GreatCollections for reputable dealer and auction-house contacts.

1993 Roosevelt Dime Errors: Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & Methodology

All facts, values, diagnostics, and auction records in this guide are drawn from the following primary sources. No prices, varieties, or records have been invented or estimated beyond what is documented in those sources.

• CoinWeek — 1993-P Roosevelt Dime Collector’s Guide
• PCGS CoinFacts — 1993-S 10C Clad, DCAM (Proof)
• PCGS CoinFacts — 1993-S 10C Silver, DCAM (Proof)
• PCGS — Missing-Clad Layer Mint Error Coins
• APMEX — Is My Thin, Lightweight Dime an Error Coin?
• Wexler’s Coins — Roosevelt 10¢ Doubled Dies
• CONECA Online — Roosevelt Dimes Master Variety List
• Wikipedia — Roosevelt Dime Mintage Figures

Values as of January 2026. Error coin market prices fluctuate with collector demand and auction results. Verify current values before buying or selling.