1962 Proof

The 1962 proof Roosevelt dime is the Philadelphia silver proof issued through the annual Proof Set program, with a mintage of 3,218,019 pieces. The 1962 figure represented a modest step up from the 3.03 million 1961 figure and held the proof program well above the three-million mark for the second consecutive year. The continued growth tracked the broad expansion of postwar numismatics, with collectors and gift purchasers absorbing the year's allotment through the Mint's mail-order channel at the standard $2.10 per five-coin set. The coin carries John R. Sinnock's 1946 design without modification, with the FDR portrait on the obverse and the torch with olive and oak branches on the reverse, struck from polished dies on polished planchets at Philadelphia. Proofs of 1950 through 1964 are Philadelphia products and carry no mintmark.

The 1962 proof follows the silver-era specifications: 2.5 grams, 17.9 millimeters, 90% silver and 10% copper, reeded edge. Authentication of a 1962 proof rests on distinguishing genuine proof characteristics from prooflike business strikes. True proofs show squared, sharply defined rims with the small step where rim meets field, fully mirrored fields with consistent reflectivity at every viewing angle, and crisp definition across the torch flame, leaves, letters, and FDR's hair. Cameo contrast on 1962 proofs remains inconsistent because the mid-1950s polishing-routine adjustment continued to reduce the longevity of frosted device texture across a die's working life. Cameo (CAM) populations are modest and Deep Cameo (DCAM) populations are scarce, with the strongest-contrast examples concentrated among the earliest impressions struck from each newly polished die pair.

Survivor distribution covers PR60 through PR68, with PR66 and PR67 the most heavily traded grades. The DCAM premium widens sharply at PR67 and finer because of the limited supply of strong-contrast survivors. Hairlines from old wipes and small contact marks from set storage are the typical impairments below PR65. For broader context, see the Roosevelt Dime series history.