Evan asks: A question. What does the “js” mean that appears near the President on the Roosevelt dime?
The designer’s initials. “JS” are the initials of the Mint’s Chief Engraver, John Sinnock.
There was some controversy over those initials at the time. With the “Red” paranoia of the day still very much in evidence, some people believed that the initials were those of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. As outlandish as that sounds today, plenty of Americans perceived Communist influence behind every rock. The rumors became widespread enough that the Mint was forced to issue a statement naming Sinnock as the designer and refuting the claims of “Reds” harbored within the Mint walls.
