How much silver is in a coin? What each one is worth
Silver price today $52.43 per troy ounce. Dimes, quarters, halves, dollars and war nickels.
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Quarters $9.48 in silver, 90% quarter, 1932–1964 Silver quarter value -
Dimes $3.79 in silver, 90% dime, 1916–1964 Silver dime value -
Half dollars $18.96 in silver, 90% half dollar, 1916–1964 Silver half dollar value -
Silver dollars $40.55 in silver, 90% dollar, 1878–1935 Silver dollar value -
War nickels $2.95 in silver, 35% nickel, 1942–1945 War nickel dates
Which coins are silver, and how much silver is in each
| Coin | Silver | Melt now |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Quarter1932–1964 | 90% | $9.48 |
| Mercury Dime1916–1945 | 90% | $3.79 |
| Roosevelt Dime1946–1964 | 90% | $3.79 |
| Walking Liberty Half Dollar1916–1947 | 90% | $18.96 |
| Franklin Half Dollar1948–1963 | 90% | $18.96 |
| Kennedy Half Dollar1964 | 90% | $18.96 |
| Kennedy Half Dollar1965–1970 | 40% | $7.75 |
| Morgan Dollar1878–1921 | 90% | $40.55 |
| Peace Dollar1921–1935 | 90% | $40.55 |
| American Silver Eagle1986 to date | .999 | $52.43 |
| Jefferson War Nickel1942–1945 | 35% | $2.95 |
Melt value is the pure silver in one coin at the live silver price. Collector coins sell for more. The Silver Eagle holds one troy ounce (U.S. Mint). Other weights and silver shares come from the sources on each series page. Quarters and dimes dated 1965 or later, and halves dated 1971 or later, that you find in change are clad.
Silver in $1 of face value
| $1 face value of | Melt now |
|---|---|
| Dimes, 90% (1964 and earlier) | $37.93 |
| Quarters, 90% (1964 and earlier) | $37.93 |
| Half dollars, 90% (1964 and earlier) | $37.93 |
| Silver dollars, 90% (Morgan and Peace) | $40.55 |
| Kennedy halves, 40% (1965 to 1970) | $15.51 |
| War nickels, 35% (1942 to 1945) | $59.00 |
Melt value of the silver at the live price, before any dealer discount (80% to 95% of melt is typical for common 90% coins, a Lustre editorial estimate). Multiply by the face value you have, or use the junk silver calculator for mixed coins.
Silver coins made only for collectors
| Coin | Silver |
|---|---|
| 1976-S Bicentennial quarterSold in collector sets. The 1776–1976 quarters found in change are clad. | 40% silver |
| Silver proof quarters, 1992 to 2018Made for Silver Proof Sets, not for circulation. | 90% silver |
| Silver proof quarters, 2019 to dateSilver Proof Sets use .999 silver from 2019. Silver content is not tabulated here. | .999 silver |
| Silver proof dimes, 1992 to 2018Made for Silver Proof Sets, not for circulation. | 90% silver |
| Silver proof dimes, 2019 to dateSilver Proof Sets use .999 silver from 2019. Silver content is not tabulated here. | .999 silver |
| 1976-S Bicentennial half dollarSold in collector sets. The 1776–1976 halves found in change are clad. | 40% silver |
| Silver proof halves, 1992 to 2018Made for Silver Proof Sets, not for circulation. | 90% silver |
| Silver proof halves, 2019 to dateSilver Proof Sets use .999 silver from 2019. Silver content is not tabulated here. | .999 silver |
| Eisenhower dollars, 1971-S to 1974-S and 1976-SSold in collector sets (uncirculated and proof). The Eisenhower dollars found in change are clad. | 40% silver |
These were sold in Mint sets and are not found in circulation. Our series data does not list them. Silver shares are U.S. Mint specifications (U.S. Mint coin specifications and product pages).
Coin series with melt value and grade prices
Washington Quarter1932 to 1964 · 83 issues
Mercury Dime1916 to 1945 · 79 issues
Roosevelt Dime1946 to 1964 · 48 issues
Walking Liberty Half Dollar1916 to 1947 · 65 issues
Franklin Half Dollar1948 to 1963 · 35 issues
Kennedy Half Dollar1964 to 1970 · 8 issues
Morgan Dollar1878 to 1921 · 96 issues
Peace Dollar1921 to 1935 · 24 issues
American Silver Eagle1986 to date · 40 issues listed to 2024
Jefferson War Nickel1942 to 1945 · 12 issues
Junk silver calculatorSilver coin melt by type and yearHow to tell if a coin is silverJunk silver explainedAll coin seriesSilver price today
Quick answers
Which US coins are silver?
Dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver. Kennedy half dollars from 1965 to 1970 are 40% silver. War nickels dated 1942 to 1945 are 35% silver. Morgan (1878 to 1921) and Peace (1921 to 1935) dollars are 90% silver, and American Silver Eagles (since 1986) hold one troy ounce of .999 silver. Dimes, quarters and halves from 1965 and later that you find in change are clad.
Are any silver coins newer than 1970?
Yes, but only as collector issues, not in circulation: the 40% silver Eisenhower dollars (1971-S to 1974-S and 1976-S), the 40% silver 1976-S Bicentennial quarter and half dollar, silver proof dimes, quarters and halves from 1992 on (90% silver, and .999 silver from 2019), and the American Silver Eagle. The table above lists them by coin.
How do I find the value of a silver coin?
Take the silver content in troy ounces and multiply by the live silver price. The table on this page lists the content of each type, and each coin page works it out at the live price. Collector coins can be worth more than their silver.
What do dealers pay for silver coins?
For common 90% silver coins dealers typically pay about 80% to 95% of melt value. That range is a Lustre editorial estimate, not a quote. Dealers pay more for common 90% coins than for jewelry because the metal is easy to verify.