Which President is on the dime?
IT is a popular practice among nations to feature historical figures on their currency to distinguish leaders and honor their country.
As the dime is the smallest coin in the US currency system, measuring 0.705 inches in diameter, many want to know which president occupies the tiny coin.
Which President is on the dime?
Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who lived from 1882 until he died in 1945, is the famous face on the obverse side of the 10-cent US coin.
The reverse side of the dime contains a torch to represent liberty, an olive branch that stands for peace, and an oak branch that signifies strength and independence.
Roosevelt’s face was suggested for the dime when Louisiana Representative James Hobson Morrison introduced a bill a year after his death in 1946.
The US Mint released it on January 30 of that year to honor his birthday.
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The coin was designed by Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock and Gilroy Roberts.
Who was on the dime before Roosevelt?
First introduced in 1796, Lady Liberty used to be the face of the dime coin up until Roosevelt’s replacement in 1946.
At first, the coin just showed her head, but in the 1800s, her full body, seated on a rock, had been used for many years.
Up until 1945, Lady Liberty had wings on her head to symbolize freedom of thought and was frequently mistaken for the Roman messenger god, Mercury.
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Due to the wings, that coin was commonly known as the Mercury dime.
Each dime has inscriptions on each side of the coin.
On one side, it says: "Liberty," "In God We Trust," and the year the coin was made.
On the other side, it says: "United States of America," "E Pluribus Unum," and "One Dime."
Why was Roosevelt chosen for the dime?
Roosevelt was honored on the 10-cent coin for his leadership from 1933-1945.
He was the 32nd president of the US and the longest-serving president in history, as he was elected for more than two terms.
He led the US through much of the Great Depression and World War II and created historical policies that forever altered the course of America.
Roosevelt was born with polio and was wheelchair-bound. As a result, he supported the March of Dimes organization to eradicate the disease.
Since its production, the dime has not changed much in the past 70 years.
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Minor changes were made to Roosevelt's hair, and the mint mark was shifted from reverse to obverse in the 1960s.
Some specialized coins can sell for thousands of dollars. In 2019, a 1975 No S Proof Type 2 Clad Roosevelt Dime was sold for $456,000, as per Yahoo! Finance.