Roosevelt Dime Design

While sitting for a portrait on April 12, 1945, Franklin Delano Roosevelt suddenly complained about a severe headache and passed away later the same day. Due to his popularity with the American public, Treasury officials suggested that a denomination should be chosen to feature a portrait of the former President. The dime was eventually chosen, with the new designs to be prepared by United States Mint Engraver John R. Sinnock.

During the last few months of 1945, Sinnock submitted his design for the Roosevelt Dime to Commission of Fine Arts. After they disapproved the first design based on sketches, some minor changes were made, in particular to the size, placement and font of the lettering. The finished design was approved in January 1946, and production soon commenced.  The whole process was rushed considerably to coincide the release of the first of the newly designed dimes with the “March of Dimes”, a charity publicly supported by Roosevelt. This annual fund raising event still exists, with its main goal to prevent birth defects and improve overall health of newborns.

The new dime featured a portrait en profile of the former president on the obverse. Although not confirmed, Breen mentions that Sinnock copied his portrait from a bust made by the African-American artist Selma Burke. LIBERTY is in front of the portrait, and both the motto IN GOD WE TRUST and the date are below. The designer’s initials, JS are below in a small font, which makes the letters barely visible on circulated coins or coins struck from worn dies.

The initial reverse design prepared by Sinnock depicted a lit torch held by a single hand, but the committee strongly disagreed with the design. On the final sketches, and the dimes that were minted as well, the hand was removed and the torch was surrounded by an Olive branch and an Oak branch. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM is in a straight line, interrupted by the torch and braches. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is on top with denomination spelled out as ONE DIME below.

When the first Roosevelt Dimes had entered circulation, a major up stir was raised in the United States because of the designer’s initials JS. It was believed that the letters stood for Joseph Stalin, the communist leader of the Soviet Union. Nationwide newspaper articles ran on the subject, and the general public believed it all. However, after the United States Mint issued a formal press statement, noting that JS stood for John Sinnock, the new dime was readily accepted the dime and circulated freely.