1968 No S Dime: Proof Error vs. Ordinary No-Mint-Mark Coins

What is the error, and what is the value reference?

What do the normal and attributed coins look like?

How did this issue come about?

Proof coin production resumed in 1968 after the 1965–1967 Special Mint Set period, and the Proof program was then at San Francisco. A normal 1968-S dime belongs to that collector product. Philadelphia’s unmarked circulation dime was a different issue made for everyday use.

The missing-S Proof resulted from a Proof die lacking its intended mint mark. It is the manufacture and omitted mark together that define the issue. Treating every unmarked 1968 dime as the rarity erases the distinction between the two production channels. The dime error guide also separates this Proof group from the later circulation-strike 1982 No P.

How do you check the identifying features?

What must be established before looking at the missing S?

Read the full 1968 date and examine both faces. Determine whether the coin plausibly belongs to the Proof issue using the overall manufacture, surfaces and detail. A dark, reflective or unusually clean circulation coin is not automatically a Proof, and an isolated mint-mark crop cannot establish the production method.

Where should the S be checked?

Use the regular 1968-S Proof as the location reference on the obverse near the date. Compare the same region under more than one lighting direction. A shadow, reflection or low-resolution image can hide a small letter; no conclusion should depend on one angle.

How can an altered mint mark be excluded?

Examine the surrounding field for a depression, localized smoothing, scratches or an abrupt change in texture. Those are warning signs, not a complete authentication method. A high-value claim needs independent examination when the surfaces are uncertain. Do not clean the area in an attempt to make the blank look more convincing.

How do grade and designation change the comparison?

The U.S.-dollar figures below are historical retail-guide references. Each row retains its actual source update date in month/day/year format; access on November 13, 2026 is not a price update. Guide estimates, asking prices, completed transactions and dealer buying offers are different evidence.

Photographs illustrate the issue and observation area; they are not offered as a grading certificate for every row. Cleaning, corrosion, scratches or other problems can make straight-grade comparisons unsuitable. Obtain recent like-for-like completed transactions before deciding what to pay or accept.

Why is a circulated no-mark price not a No S Proof price?

The production category is different before grade is even considered. An ordinary worn Philadelphia dime has a ten-cent denomination baseline; a premium would need independent condition or error evidence. It cannot inherit a five-figure Proof comparison simply because the date and blank mint position appear similar.

How do Proof grade and contrast affect the reference?

PF65 and PF68 are distinct condition comparisons. Cameo contrast is another attribute, shown separately in the guide table. A Proof without strong frost is not automatically disqualified as a Proof, and a frosted-looking photograph does not by itself establish a certified Cameo designation.

What does a documented auction add?

PCGS’s base No S page records a Heritage transaction of $40,250 for PR67 on July 1, 2008. This is a historical specimen comparison, not a guaranteed price or a claim that every certified PR67 sells for that amount. Use the sale’s date, grade, surface description and lot basis when comparing it with a present coin.

How should a possible example be documented?

What evidence should accompany a claim?

Photograph both faces, the expected mint-mark position and any holder or original set packaging. Keep full-size originals of the photographs so that the date and local surface texture remain inspectable. A set holder can provide useful context but is not a substitute for checking the actual coin or for confirming that a loose coin was not substituted.

What is the most useful next step?

If the coin looks like an ordinary circulation strike, keep its identification in that category unless stronger evidence emerges. If genuine Proof manufacture and an undisturbed blank area are plausible, consult a specialist or grading service before quoting a rarity price. Do not spend based only on a social-media comparison or an unverified listing.

For a first record, photograph both faces and the observation area under even light. HeriBase can help organize a photo-based identification; important variety, manufacture and surface questions still need the referenced diagnostics or specialist examination. A photo result is not a certified grade, authentication or buying offer.

Browse related categories through the existing Coin Errors & Varieties directory.

What should you conclude before pricing it?

What else do collectors ask?

Which references support this guide?