Isbit a big or small head dime?

[KarenHolcomb]

I'm having trouble telling which Roosevelt Dimes have a Lg or Sm head. My granddaughter caught it right away, but I am measuring and staring and I thought I had it down, until I didn't. Anyone know any certain area to compare that is good for differentiating the two?

[Conder101]

The head size on the Roosevelt dime was reduced in 2000 to make additional room for the date. As far as I know there is no year that has both large and small size busts.

[Just Bob]

If, for some reason, the date is illegible, the spacing between the rim and the tops of the letters in LIBERTY in smaller in the pre-2000 Roosevelts. (Also, the motto, the date, and the top rear of  his head.)

[DWLange]

The size of Roosevelt's head has been reduced in stages starting in 1981. This was to move design elements further from the border for the purpose of striking more fully and extending the die life by reducing erosion.

These changes have occurred to all of the current coin designs. It began with the Lincoln Cent in 1969.

[KarenHolcomb]

10 hours ago, Conder101 said:

The head size on the Roosevelt dime was reduced in 2000 to make additional room for the date. As far as I know there is no year that has both large and small size busts.

 

10 hours ago, Conder101 said:

The head size on the Roosevelt dime was reduced in 2000 to make additional room for the date. As far as I know there is no year that has both large and small size busts.

Well, I ask because on Variety Vista it list an obverse variety to look for on dimes from 2000-2017 as the small head/letter placement. I will do a screenshot.

[KarenHolcomb]

3 hours ago, Just Bob said:

If, for some reason, the date is illegible, the spacing between the rim and the tops of the letters in LIBERTY in smaller in the pre-2000 Roosevelts. (Also, the motto, the date, and the top rear of  his head.)

Yeah, all the places Tylee said to look, but I just don't see it. Heck, I hold 2 dimes side by side and the one on the left is always bigger. Even if I switch them around. Smh. Getting old is for the birds.

[KarenHolcomb]

2 hours ago, DWLange said:

The size of Roosevelt's head has been reduced in stages starting in 1981. This was to move design elements further from the border for the purpose of striking more fully and extending the die life by reducing erosion.

These changes have occurred to all of the current coin designs. It began with the Lincoln Cent in 1969.

But what's the best way to tell the difference between the sizes?

[Just Bob]

23 hours ago, DWLange said:

The size of Roosevelt's head has been reduced in stages starting in 1981..

I can't recall ever having read this anywhere before now. It certainly isn't in Flynn's Roosevelt book, or any other book that I have. I learned something new.

[DWLange]

There are no transitional dates where both sizes are known, so there should be no doubt about which hub was used: VarietyVista makes this very clear:

http://www.varietyvista.com/07 Roosevelt Dimes/Obverse Design Varieties.htm

[dleonard-3]

I GUESS THE BEST WAY TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE IS BY THE DATE.  1999 AND BEFORE IS THE LARGE HEAD, 2000 AND AFTER IS THE SMALL HEAD.  ;-)

 

[KarenHolcomb]

7 hours ago, DWLange said:

There are no transitional dates where both sizes are known, so there should be no doubt about which hub was used: VarietyVista makes this very clear:

http://www.varietyvista.com/07 Roosevelt Dimes/Obverse Design Varieties.htm

So then what about the screenshot I shared and the bottom list of the page you shared?

[Conder101]

From time to time the mint makes small changes to the hub design. In your screenshot they are showing the 17th hub change made to the obverse in the Roosevelt dime series. It was made in 2000 and all the pieces they list there use the same master hub master, hub obverse variety number 17. It is not referring to a specific variety for you to look for it's just a listing of what years use that hub type.

[KarenHolcomb]

36 minutes ago, Conder101 said:

From time to time the mint makes small changes to the hub design. In your screenshot they are showing the 17th hub change made to the obverse in the Roosevelt dime series. It was made in 2000 and all the pieces they list there use the same master hub master, hub obverse variety number 17. It is not referring to a specific variety for you to look for it's just a listing of what years use that hub type.

Oh. Well I'm an insufficiently_thoughtful_person then. I am so not going to use that site anymore. Thanks Condor.

[Conder101]

The site is a good site, but like anything there is a learning curve, and you just have to learn the "language" to understand what it is telling you.

[KarenHolcomb]

12 hours ago, Conder101 said:

The site is a good site, but like anything there is a learning curve, and you just have to learn the "language" to understand what it is telling you.

Well, I thought it was showing known errors so I went back through all my dimes, nickels, quarters, and made a goid start on my pennies. So it's all wasted time and that's A LOT of time. Especially those pennies. I'm just a little disappointed in myself right now. Idk? I read somewhere that errors were the same as varieties and am really happy that you cleared it up and still relatively early in my game. At least it gave me time to study up and learn some more. Now I'm about to post and ask about something special, I think.

[Six Mile Rick]

Good job Karen. Time spent on knowledge no matter how much time ---

is time well spent.

[KarenHolcomb]

13 hours ago, Six Mile Rick said:

Good job Karen. Time spent on knowledge no matter how much time ---

is time well spent.

Tis true. Too true.