The person on the U.S. dime (the 10-cent coin) is Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States. His image has appeared on the obverse (heads) side of the dime since 1946, the year after his death

. Roosevelt was chosen for the dime largely because of his association with the March of Dimes, a campaign he helped found to fight polio, a disease he personally battled

. The reverse (tails) side of the dime features a torch, an olive branch, and an oak branch symbolizing liberty, peace, and strength, respectively

. Before Roosevelt, the dime featured Lady Liberty, and from 1916 to 1945, the "Mercury" dime showed Liberty with a winged cap, often mistaken for the Roman god Mercury

. In summary, Franklin D. Roosevelt is the figure on the dime, honored for his leadership during the Great Depression and World War II as well as his dedication to combating polio through the March of Dimes