The dime, in United States usage, is a ten-cent coin (10¢), one tenth of a United States dollar, labelled formally as "one dime". After the half dime became five cents in 1873, the dime is now the only United States coin in general circulation that is not denominated in terms of dollars or cents.
The denomination exists since the introduction of US currency. It was initially a larger silver coin, then a smaller coin which went through several transformations of the design, the last of which was the Mercury Dime (1916 - 1945).
The Roosevelt Dime was introduced as a silver coin in 1946, shortly after the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, and features his portrait on the obverse. Designed by John R. Sinnock. The reverse shows a torch in the centre, representing liberty, flanked by an olive sprig representing peace, and one of oak symbolising strength and independence; the design as a whole is symbolic of the victorious end of World War II.
In 1965 the denomination was debased to its current composition while retaining the same design; the coin has an outer layer of Copper-Nickel (75% copper and 25% nickel) bonded to an inner core of pure nickel, to a total of 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. It has been issued with no change ever since. Dimes issued in 2012 have now been in circulation for 12 years.
|