1968-S Proof

The 1968-S Proof Roosevelt Dime marks the return of the proof program after a three-year suspension. From 1965 through 1967 the Mint substituted Special Mint Sets for the traditional proof offering as part of its broader response to the coin shortage of the early 1960s, and 1968 was the year the proof set came back in its familiar form. The San Francisco Assay Office took over proof striking from Philadelphia at that time, beginning the long run of S-mint proofs that has continued ever since. Reported mintage came in at 3,041,506 sets, a strong figure for a first-year resumption and a reflection of pent-up collector demand for proofs after the SMS interlude. The S mintmark sits below the date on the obverse, in a position that became standard for proofs from this point forward.

Authentication of a 1968-S Proof centers on surface character and the mintmark. Genuine examples show deeply mirrored fields with proof depth that an ordinary business strike cannot replicate, squared rim transitions instead of the rounded edges of a circulation coin, and crisp full design definition across Roosevelt's profile and the torch reverse. The S mintmark must be sharp and well-formed, not weak or mushy, and its position below the date is the first place to look. Premium examples earn Cameo (CAM) or Deep Cameo (DCAM) designation when the contrast between frosted devices and mirrored fields is strong; the cameo premium increases rapidly at PR68 and above, and Deep Cameo at PR69 is where the meaningful money begins. The 1968-S in particular is known for a respectable cameo rate compared with some later years.

For collectors, the appeal of this issue is twofold: it is a historical marker as the first modern S-mint proof dime, and it offers a clear path into the cameo proof market without the rarity premium of the No-S error from the same year. Common in the proof set, scarce in DCAM at the top grades. For more on the proof program's clad-era revival, see the Roosevelt Dime series history.