1983 No S Proof Proof

The 1983 No S proof Roosevelt dime is the fourth and final No S proof error in the series and the headline rarity of the 1983 proof set. A proof die at San Francisco was finished without receiving the S mintmark punch and entered production before the omission was caught, with the resulting coins distributed in standard proof sets through ordinary collector channels. Estimates of the surviving population center on roughly 3,000 to 3,500 known examples across all grades, making this the most available of the four No S Roosevelt proof errors (1968, 1970, 1975, 1983), though still genuinely rare by any reasonable measure. The error repeated the pattern of the 1968, 1970, and 1975 issues, and after 1983 the Mint implemented quality-control procedures that prevented further occurrences. The coin retains the standard 2.27 gram clad weight, 17.9 millimeter diameter, and cupronickel-clad composition over a pure copper core, struck with the deeply mirrored fields and frosted devices that define the San Francisco proof finish.

Authentication requires confirmation that the missing S resulted from die preparation and that the coin shows genuine proof characteristics throughout. The mintmark area on the obverse just below the date should sit clean and undisturbed, with no faint outline or residual impression of the missing S. Mirror fields, squared rims, and acute device-to-field transitions establish the coin as a genuine proof rather than a prooflike business strike. The principal counterfeit pathway involves removing the S from a regular 1983-S proof, and examination under magnification reveals tool marks or surface disturbance on altered coins. Both PCGS and NGC certify the variety with the No S designation noted on the slab label, and certification is the absolute requirement for any 1983 No S transaction. PCGS and NGC also distinguish Cameo (CAM) and Deep Cameo (DCAM) designations based on frost contrast, with DCAM examples commanding meaningful premiums at every grade tier.

Realized auction prices run from roughly $400 in lower proof grades; PR69 DCAM examples typically trade in the $600 to $800 range, while PR70 DCAM examples reach $3,000 to $6,000 and have crossed $10,000 at the public auction record for the issue. The 1983 No S sits as the most accessible of the four No-S Roosevelt proof errors and provides specialist collectors the most realistic acquisition target in any pursuit of the complete four-coin No S Roosevelt set. The other three (1968, 1970, 1975) progress through scarcer populations toward the 1975 issue's extreme rarity of just two confirmed examples. Collectors should plan for the certification requirement and pursue dealer-graded examples with explicit No S attribution rather than rely on raw photographs. For the full history of the No-S Roosevelt proof error sequence, see the Roosevelt Dime series history.