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Junk Silver Calculator

Melt value of circulated US silver coinage — 90% dimes, quarters, halves and dollars, 40% halves and 35% war nickels — by coin count or face value.

as of 5:01 PM ET · Metals.dev

$1 face value of pre-1965 90% silver US coins contains 0.7234 troy oz of silver and is worth $48.51 at melt as of 5:01 PM ET on September 22, 2026, or $47.95 on the dealer basis of 0.715 oz that allows for wear, with silver at $67.06 per troy ounce.

Quick entry · $ face value of 90% coins

90% silver

90% Dime 1946–1964 (Roosevelt), 1916–45 (Mercury) 0.0723 ozt each · $4.85

90% Quarter 1932–1964 (Washington) 0.1808 ozt each · $12.13

90% Half Dollar 1964 Kennedy, Franklin, Walking Liberty 0.3617 ozt each · $24.26

Morgan / Peace Dollar 1878–1935 0.7734 ozt each · $51.87

40% silver

40% Half Dollar 1965–1970 Kennedy 0.1479 ozt each · $9.92

40% Eisenhower Dollar 1971–1976 (S mint, silver clad) 0.3161 ozt each · $21.20

35% silver

War Nickel 1942–1945 (35% silver) 0.0563 ozt each · $3.77

Enter coin counts or a face value to see the melt value. At today’s spot, $1 face of 90% coins is worth $47.95 on the dealer basis.

Buy or sell junk silver at Texas Precious Metals

What counts as junk silver

“Junk” just means the coins have no collector premium — their value is the silver in them. US dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 and earlier are 90% silver; Kennedy halves from 1965–1970 are 40%; nickels from 1942–1945 with a large mint mark above Monticello are 35%. Morgan and Peace dollars are 90% but usually trade at a small premium to melt.

Why dealers use 0.715

A fresh $1 face value of 90% coins contains 0.7234 troy oz of silver. Decades of circulation wear that down, so the trade prices bags at 0.715 oz per $1 face. Uncirculated rolls can fetch the full figure.

How it’s calculated

Melt value = number of coins × actual silver weight per coin (troy oz) × silver spot. Dealers price circulated 90% coins at 0.715 troy oz per $1 face value.

Prices are live spot from Metals.dev; dealer bid and ask from Texas Precious Metals; crypto from CoinGecko. Every figure on this page is timestamped and nothing is estimated when a feed is unavailable.

Frequently asked questions

Which US coins are 90% silver?

Dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 and earlier, plus Morgan and Peace silver dollars (1878–1935). Kennedy halves from 1965–1970 are 40% silver and 1942–1945 “war nickels” with a large mint mark over Monticello are 35%.

How much silver is in $1 face value?

A fresh dollar of 90% dimes, quarters or halves holds 0.7234 troy oz of silver. Because circulated coins are worn, dealers value bags at 0.715 troy oz per $1 face.

Why is junk silver popular?

It is recognisable, divisible into small units, hard to counterfeit and usually carries a lower premium over spot than modern one-ounce coins.

All calculations use live market prices and are estimates. Actual dealer prices, premiums and refining charges vary. Nothing on this page is investment advice.