Special issue coins typically are made for collectors and have their own designations, devices and mintmarks. Ones featured here are readily available. Some hobbyists collect all of them.
1996-W Roosevelt Dime
One of the most popular special issues is the 1996-W Roosevelt dime, marking the half-century of the design. This was the first base metal coin struck at the West Point mint.
The 1996-W Roosevelt dime is the lowest-mintage business-strike coin in the series (1,457,949). The next lowest was the 1955 dime (12,450,000).
Unlike other business strikes, the coin was not released into circulation. It was a bonus coin included in that year’s U.S. Mint Uncirculated Coin Sets.
It is the only business strike dime carry the W mint mark for West Point.
PCGS recounts the trouble that the Mint had in adding the W mintmark. For the occasion, engraver John Mercanti was asked to hand-punch the mintmark into the die directly. But the steel die was not properly prepared (heated) so the force of the punch made it mushroom. It could not be used. Another engraver had to create an entire new dime model, carving the mintmark directly into the master plaster. This is why the mintmark looks different than on ones used for other W mintmark issues.
If you want to buy or bid on this dime, make sure that it has full bands. PCGS estimates it has holdered some 6,700 dimes that are not full bands compared with 4,500 that have them.
An MS68FB retails for about $60; in MS69FB, about $260.
2019-W Lincoln Cent
The 2019-W cent was produced to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the Lincoln cent. PCGS lists three finishes for the dime, released as a bonus in these sets:
- Proof finish: Included with the standard 2019 Proof Set.
- Reverse Proof finish: Included with the 2019 Silver Proof Set.
- Uncirculated finish: Included with the 2019 Uncirculated Mint Set.
As with all coins manufactured for collectors, the overwhelming number of coins will be uncirculated still and not worth much unless in extremely high grades. Examples of the business strike in MS69 are worth about $30 whereas an MS70 retails for about $350.
2020-W Jefferson Nickel
This was the first U.S. nickel to bear a “W” mintmark. The regular nickel came inside the 2020 Mint Proof Set. A 2020-W Jefferson Nickel in a Reverse Proof format came inside the 2020 Silver Proof Set.
The Mint planned to make a 2020-W nickel with an uncirculated finish to be included in the 2020 Uncirculated Coin Set. The COVID-19 illness limited production, however, and the issue was canceled.
The 2020-W Proof Nickel had a mintage of 464,039; the 2020-W Reverse Proof Nickel, 313,185. These typically retail online for $35 in PR69 and $80 in PR70.
2015-W March of Dimes
The 2015-W March of Dimes Proof Silver Dime and the 2015-P March of Dimes Reverse Proof Silver Dime also were special release issues. They were available only when collectors bought the 2015 March of Dimes Special Silver Set.
2015-W Proof Silver Dime was the first ever silver proof Roosevelt dime to carry the “W” mint mark and also the first non-dollar denomination coin to ever be produced with a reverse proof finish.
The set was limited to 75,000 units. As such, both silver dimes are some of the scarcest in the Roosevelt series.
Depending on the price of silver, the 3-Coin Set typically sells for about $200.
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