What Is Junk Silver? Pre-1965 Coin Values | Haven Coin

Before you spend that old dime or quarter you found in a drawer, take a closer look at the date. If it was made before 1965, there is a good chance it is worth much more than ten or twenty-five cents.

That is because many older U.S. coins were made with real silver. Today, collectors and dealers often group common examples under a strange-sounding name: “junk silver.” Despite the name, these coins are not junk at all. Their value comes mainly from the silver inside them, which can make even a worn-out coin worth many times its original face value.

If you have inherited a coin collection, found an old jar of change, or simply want to know whether the coins in your hand are worth saving, understanding junk silver is one of the easiest places to start.

What Does Junk Silver Mean?

“Junk silver” is a nickname for common older coins that are valued mostly for the silver they contain rather than for their rarity as collectibles.

For example, imagine you have two old dimes. One is an extremely rare date that collectors have spent years searching for. The other is a common dime that millions of people used as everyday change. The rare dime could be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars because collectors want that specific coin. The common dime may not have much extra collector value, but if it is made of 90% silver, the metal inside still gives it value.

That second coin is what people usually mean by junk silver.

The word “junk” can be misleading because the coins themselves are far from worthless. They are regular U.S. coins, many of which circulated through grocery stores, restaurants, and businesses decades ago. They are simply common enough that their silver content is usually more important to their price than their date or condition.

How Much Silver Is in Pre-1965 Coins?

For most U.S. dimes, quarters, and half dollars, 1964 and earlier are the silver years. These coins were made with 90% silver, while most versions made afterward were not.

How Much Silver Is in a Pre-1965 Quarter?

A 90% silver quarter contains about 0.1808 troy ounce of pure silver. Four of them equal $1 in face value.

How Much Silver Is in a Pre-1965 Dime?

A 90% silver dime contains about 0.0723 troy ounce of pure silver. Ten silver dimes also equal $1 in face value.

How Much Silver Is in a 90% Silver Half Dollar?

A 90% silver half dollar contains about 0.3617 troy ounce of pure silver. Two half dollars equal $1 in face value.

The easiest way to remember it is that $1 in face value of 90% silver dimes, quarters, or half dollars contains roughly the same amount of silver, no matter which combination of those coins you have.

How to Tell If a Coin Is Silver

A quick clue is the edge: 90% silver coins usually have a solid silver-colored edge, while modern clad coins often show a copper-colored stripe.

How Is Junk Silver Valued?

That brings us to how junk silver is valued. Its price is tied closely to the spot price of silver, which is the current market price for the metal. As silver rises or falls, the value of junk silver usually moves with it. Dealers may also quote junk silver as a multiple of face value. For example, if someone says junk silver is selling at “25 times face,” that means $1 in old silver coins would be valued at $25.

Don't Sell Rare Coins as Junk Silver

Before assuming every old silver coin should be valued only for its metal, take a closer look. Certain dates, mintmarks, varieties, and better-condition coins can have collector value far above their silver value. A rare dime worth hundreds of dollars would be an expensive mistake to sell as ordinary silver.

A good illustration: a 1932-D Washington quarter is a key date worth well over $100 even in heavily worn condition, while a common 1964-D quarter is worth roughly its silver content. Both are 90% silver, but only one should ever be sold as junk silver.

A quick way to check is a mintage lookup: sites like coinmintages.com show how many of a given date and mintmark were made, and a low number is your cue to have the coin looked at before selling it by weight.

How to Sell Junk Silver

When selling your junk silver, separate the coins by type and date if you can, check the current silver market, and have unfamiliar coins looked at before selling a collection purely for its metal value.

For those in Connecticut or the surrounding area, Haven Coin & Jewelry in Hamden is one option for having silver coins professionally evaluated. Haven buys coins and precious metals, provides free evaluations, and bases its offers on current market information. This can be especially helpful if you inherited a collection and are not sure whether you have ordinary junk silver or something worth more.

Junk silver may look like ordinary pocket change, but its value comes from much more than the number stamped on the coin. Once you know what dates to look for, how much silver each coin contains, and how that silver is valued, an old jar of change can start to look very different. The key is simply knowing what you have.

FAQ: Junk Silver

What coins are considered junk silver?

Usually common U.S. dimes, quarters, and half dollars made of 90% silver and valued mainly for their silver content.

How much is $1 face value of junk silver worth?

It changes with the price of silver. Circulated 90% junk silver is commonly estimated to contain about 0.715 troy ounces of silver per $1 of face value.

Is junk silver real silver?

Yes. Traditional U.S. junk silver coins are generally made of 90% silver and 10% copper.

Is junk silver worth selling?

Yes. Even common, heavily worn junk silver can be worth many times its face value because of the silver it contains.