Selling silver
What is 90% 'junk silver' and what is it worth?
'Junk silver' is the nickname for circulated coins that are worth more for their silver content than their face value or collector appeal. In the US, the term usually means dimes, quarters and half dollars minted before 1965.
Which coins count
US dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 or earlier were struck in 90% silver. Common examples include Roosevelt and Mercury dimes, Washington quarters, and Franklin, Walking Liberty and 1964 Kennedy half dollars.
Kennedy half dollars from 1965 to 1970 contain 40% silver, and wartime Jefferson nickels from 1942 to 1945 contain 35%. In the UK, the equivalent is pre-1947 silver coinage, which was 50% silver from 1920 to 1946 and 92.5% before that.
How much silver is in junk silver
Dealers often price junk silver by face value. A rule of thumb is that $1 face value of 90% US dimes, quarters or halves contains about 0.715 troy ounces of pure silver, allowing for some wear.
So $10 face value holds roughly 7.15 troy ounces. Multiply that by the live spot price to estimate melt value.
Why buyers like it
Junk silver is popular because it is recognisable and comes in small units.
- Often lower premiums than new bullion coins
- Small denominations are easy to sell in parts
- Recognised content means little need for testing
Check for collector value first
Some dates, mint marks and well-preserved coins are worth far more than their silver. Before selling as junk, look up key dates or ask a coin dealer. For everything else, weigh the coins, check the price of silver today and use the melt value as your benchmark.
Weigh your coins and select Coin .900 in our calculator to see their live melt value.
Calculate junk silver value