Junk Silver: What It Is & What It's Worth
"Junk silver" is everyday US coinage made of 90% silver — pre-1965 dimes, quarters and half dollars — with no rare-coin premium, so it's valued purely for the silver inside. It's one of the cheapest, most divisible ways to own physical silver. Use the live calculator to see what yours is worth, by face value or by coin.
💰 What's it worth? — live melt calculator
Melt = pure metal content × recent spot (silver $32/oz). This is the bullion floor; collectible coins can be worth far more. Melting circulating US coins is illegal — this estimates intrinsic value.
What counts as junk silver?
| Coins | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 90% silver — dimes, quarters, half dollars | 1964 & earlier | The classic "junk silver." A $1 face value holds about 0.715 oz of silver. |
| 40% silver — Kennedy half dollar | 1965–1970 | Half the silver of a pre-1965 half. Often sold separately at a lower per-dollar silver content. |
| 35% silver — "war nickels" | 1942–1945 | Wartime Jefferson nickels with a large mint mark above Monticello. About 0.0563 oz each. |
| 90% silver — Morgan & Peace dollars | 1878–1935 | Silver dollars hold about 0.7734 oz each; common dates trade close to melt, key dates carry premiums. |
How much silver is in $1 of face value?
The industry rule of thumb is that $1 of face value in 90% coins ≈ 0.715 troy ounces of pure silver (a worn standard that accounts for circulation wear). So:
| Face value | Approx. pure silver |
|---|---|
| $1 face (e.g. 10 dimes) | ≈ 0.715 oz |
| $10 face (a roll of dimes) | ≈ 7.15 oz |
| $100 face | ≈ 71.5 oz |
| $1,000 face ("a bag") | ≈ 715 oz |
Multiply the ounces by the live silver price to get the melt value — exactly what the calculator above does.
How junk silver is priced
Dealers price junk silver off its melt value: face value × 0.715 × live silver spot, then a small premium (buying) or spread (selling) on top. Because the silver content is fixed and well known, there's little guesswork — you're trading silver by weight, in convenient small denominations.
Have junk silver to sell? We buy 90% silver, war nickels and silver dollars in person at our NYC Diamond District counter, or by insured mail, at live spot-based prices. Get a free quote →
Looking to buy? Shop US 90% silver coins →
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Live prices from our store — buy online or at our NYC Diamond District counter.
Common questions about junk silver
What is junk silver?
Junk silver is common-date US coinage made of 90% silver — mainly dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 and earlier — that has no extra collector (numismatic) value, so it trades for its silver content. "Junk" refers to the lack of rarity premium, not the condition of the coins.
Which coins are junk silver?
Pre-1965 Roosevelt/Mercury/Barber dimes, Washington/Standing Liberty/Barber quarters, and Walking Liberty/Franklin/1964 Kennedy half dollars are all 90% silver. 1965–1970 Kennedy halves are 40% silver, and 1942–1945 "war nickels" are 35% silver. Common-date Morgan and Peace silver dollars are also often grouped with junk silver.
How much silver is in junk silver?
By the worn industry standard, $1 of face value in 90% coins contains about 0.715 troy ounces of pure silver. Individually: a pre-1965 dime ≈ 0.0723 oz, a quarter ≈ 0.1808 oz, and a half dollar ≈ 0.3617 oz.
How is junk silver priced?
Junk silver is priced off its silver content: face value × 0.715 × the live silver spot price, then a small premium or discount depending on the market and quantity. Use the calculator above to value any amount by face value or by coin.
Is junk silver a good way to own silver?
Junk silver is one of the lowest-premium ways to own physical silver, and it is highly divisible and instantly recognizable, which is why stackers and preparedness buyers like it. It is not a rare-coin investment — you are buying silver by weight.
Where can I sell junk silver?
You can sell junk silver in person at our NYC Diamond District counter or by insured mail. We pay live, spot-based prices — get a free quote on the Sell to Us page.
More: all coin values · coin roll counter · silver dollars · silver price history