What Is Junk Silver?
"Junk silver" refers to US coins minted before 1965 that contain silver but have no significant numismatic (collector) value. Despite the name, these coins contain genuine silver and their value is based on their metal content.
Common Junk Silver Coins
- Dimes (pre-1965) — 90% silver, 0.0723 oz each
- Quarters (pre-1965) — 90% silver, 0.1808 oz each
- Half Dollars (pre-1965) — 90% silver, 0.3617 oz each
- Kennedy Half (1965-1970) — 40% silver, 0.1479 oz each
- Morgan & Peace Dollars — 90% silver, 0.7734 oz each
- War Nickels (1942-1945) — 35% silver, 0.0563 oz each
How to Calculate Junk Silver Value
The formula is simple: Silver Content (oz) × Quantity × Spot Price = Value
For example, 10 pre-1965 quarters contain 1.808 troy ounces of silver total. At a $32.50 spot price, that's $58.76 in melt value.