1981-S Type 1 Proof

The 1981-S Type 1 proof Roosevelt dime is the more common of the two proof varieties struck at San Francisco that year, distributed in proof sets alongside the cent, nickel, quarter, half dollar, and Susan B. Anthony dollar from a combined proof dime production of 4,063,083 pieces. The Type 1 carries the older mintmark punch style that produced a Filled S, a relatively rounded blob of metal with indistinct serifs and a thicker, less defined letterform compared to the redesigned Type 2 punch introduced midway through the production year. This mid-year mintmark transition affected all six denominations in the 1981 proof set, mirroring the same Type 1 to Type 2 punch change that had occurred in the 1979 proof set, and the Type 1 represents the considerable majority of total 1981-S proof dimes struck before the punch was replaced.

Authentication of the 1981-S Type 1 requires careful inspection of the S mintmark under magnification. The Filled S shows soft, rounded contours with serifs that are partially or fully merged into the body of the letter, producing a thick, blob-like appearance. By contrast, the Type 2 Clear S shows sharp, defined serifs and crisp angular geometry. Beyond the mintmark, standard proof authentication applies: mirror fields with no contact marks, frosted devices on Cameo and Deep Cameo examples, squared rims, and the 2.27 gram clad weight standard.

Sourcing the 1981-S Type 1 is straightforward through broken proof sets and dealer inventory. PR68 DCAM and PR69 DCAM trade at standard clad-era proof prices, with the meaningful price tier at PR70 DCAM. Type 1 examples carry no varietal premium and serve as the standard 1981-S proof representative in date sets; the scarcer Type 2 Clear S carries the premium and the specialist attention. For the full history of S-mintmark punch transitions across the proof era, see the Roosevelt Dime series history.