Pre-1965 Silver Coins: How to Spot Them and What They Bring

There is a jar of old change in a great many Chicago basements, and a surprising share of it is silver. Sorting the silver from the rest turns out to be simpler than most people assume, because the United States drew a hard line in a single year.

This guide explains the line, which coins fall on the valuable side of it, and how the resulting value is worked out.

1964 is the year to remember

Through 1964, American dimes, quarters, and half dollars were struck in 90% silver. In 1965 the mint switched dimes and quarters to a copper-nickel sandwich, and the silver stopped. Checking the date is therefore the fastest sorting method available to anyone.

Half dollars are the exception worth knowing, because they kept a reduced 40% silver content from 1965 through 1970 before going base metal as well.

Roosevelt and Mercury dimes struck 1964 or earlier
Washington quarters struck 1964 or earlier
Walking Liberty, Franklin, and 1964 Kennedy half dollars
Barber dimes, quarters, and half dollars
Kennedy half dollars from 1965 to 1970, at 40% silver

How the value is figured

Common silver of this kind is paid as a percentage of what its metal is worth, starting from the actual silver in the coins and the price silver is trading at during the visit. The trade often discusses it in terms of face value, since a given face amount of 90% silver contains a predictable quantity of metal.

Quantity improves the percentage, though nothing here has a minimum. A handful is as welcome as a bag.

The reason it still gets looked through

Sorting by date finds the silver, but it does not find the better coins. Occasionally a scarce year or an unusually well-preserved piece is sitting in a group otherwise destined to be priced as metal, and once it is weighed with everything else that value is gone.

This is the argument for having the coins read rather than only weighed, and for not attempting to pre-sort them yourself.

Key takeaways

Dimes and quarters dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver.
Half dollars stayed 40% silver from 1965 through 1970.
Value starts from actual silver content against the live price.
Groups still deserve reading, since better coins hide in them.

FAQ

Common questions

How do I tell quickly which coins are silver?

Check the date first. Dimes and quarters from 1964 or earlier are 90% silver, half dollars are 90% through 1964 and 40% from 1965 to 1970, and dimes and quarters from 1965 onward are copper-nickel.

What would a jar of old silver change be worth?

It follows the total silver in the coins against the live market, with quantity affecting the percentage. Bring the jar in, we weigh it, quote it against the day’s price, and look through it for anything better.

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