What coins can you sell silver

Dimes and quarters produced before are made from silver. All those made afterward, except for some collector-only issues, are clad. All circulating half dollars issued from to date are made from copper-nickel clad. Circulating issues made afterward were produced in clad. There are a couple caveats here. For one, there are those aforementioned silver-based, collector-only issues.

Then there are a handful of errors involving coins that were intended to be struck in clad format but accidentally struck on silver planchets. Any coins you suspect may be off-metal errors or transitional errors should be weighed to determine their composition and submitted to a trusted numismatic professional, such as a major third-party coin grading service, for further testing, authentication, and official attribution.

The United States government stopped making silver coins for circulation because it got too expensive. When this happened, many in the public found it more profitable to hoard these silver coins for their valuable precious metal content rather than to spend the coins for face value. This helped lead to a major coin shortage in and It persuaded government officials to choose a cheaper metal for minting dimes, quarters, and half dollars.

Dollar coins were not officially being produced at this time. After experimentation, United States Treasury and United States Mint officials decided on a copper-nickel clad composition.

Basically, the coins used a pure copper "sandwich" between two copper-nickel outer layers. This was the best choice for minting coinage without compromising the acceptability of these coins in commerce, vending machines, and elsewhere. The United States phased out the use of silver in circulating coins over the course of the s and early s. The first changes came in , when silver was completely removed from new dimes and quarters. By the late s, the United States government began planning the full debasement of the half dollar.

Beginning in , no circulating United States coinage was struck with any amount of silver. The last circulating silver dimes are dated , and the United States Mint began striking copper-nickel clad dimes in These more recent silver dimes were sold only in proof sets and other special mint products.

In other words, they were not formally released into circulation. There is 0. So, it takes about 5. As of this writing, it is legal to melt old silver coins in the United States. There are presently no silver coins being made for circulation in the United States.

Therefore melting silver coins would have virtually no effect on the availability of coins in daily commerce. While most people know how much silver is in a pre dime, quarter, or half dollar and can trust the coin to be authentic, there really is no way for someone else to really know the purity or authenticity of your melted silver without assaying it.

Besides accumulate or sell it? Well, many people melt their junk silver so it can be sold as scrap or used to make other silver products.

In many cases when people sell their junk silver coins, what ends up happening to them later is that they are melted by a refinery to produce silver ingots silver bars or other bullion items. Also, the expectation that debts be paid on demand in silver is no longer mandated by United States law. Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez is a journalist, editor, and blogger who has won multiple awards from the Numismatic Literary Guild.

He has also authored numerous books, including works profiling the history of the United States Mint and United States coinage. What Is a Silver Nickel Worth? More Than You'd Expect! Don't be the last to know about the latest deals and new product arrivals. Join us today for FREE!

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Related Articles. Method 1. Find reputable local dealers online or by referral. Look for dealers who belong to reputable organizations. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau to find out how long the dealer has been in business and if complaints have been filed against the dealer.

Remember, though, that a lack of complaints does not necessarily correlate to strong dealer ethics and business practices. Negotiate with dealers in person. Track down dealers who own shops within driving distance. Dealers operate businesses and have to turn a profit. A dealer will offer a wholesale price, which could be 5 to 20 percent less than the retail value. You can find price guides and other valuation resources online.

Get offers from multiple shops. The best way to figure out a good wholesale price for your coins is to negotiate with as many dealers as possible. You might find that a few dealers make offers around 10 percent below retail value. Make the transaction. After finding reputable dealers and getting multiple offers, choose the one willing to give you the best price. The dealer will most likely issue a record of the transaction. If they don't, ask for one or create your own bill of sale before making the deal.

Method 2. Go for a live auction if you have rare, collectible coins. Find local auction houses online, research their sales histories, and attend live auctions to get a feel for how they operate.

An extremely rare coin could send 2 or more collectors into a bidding war, which might yield a selling price well above retail value. Sell directly to a collector to get the highest retail price. Older series of silver coinage are all developing collector premiums for many dates and condition. These silver issues continued through Typically, most are valued based on silver content. Important is identify the dates to Next consideration is collector dates and quality worth a premium.

A few dates; , , and are beginning to show small premiums in circulated condition. Mint State condition - no wear to the coin - is the major separation to collectible quality and higher value.

Overall, silver Roosevelt dimes with wear to the surface are worth silver content. Roosevelt Dime Values Chart with all dates and mints, plus grading examples to judge condition. The Washington silver quarter era spanned the years through These coins were minted in large quantities and the majority are valued based on silver content.

Confirm your coin is dated through to identify a silver quarter. Quarters dated from the mid 's to , if worn, sell at silver value. A few collector dates are among the Washington silver quarters variety worth a premium. Notable are issues from the Denver and San Francisco mint, "D" and "S" mintmarks located on the reverse.

Second major factor is condition. Early years to the mid in lightly circulated condition are developing premiums. Washington Quarter Value Chart with all dates and mints, plus grading examples to judge condition. Minted to a complete series of silver coins. An average quality coins is visibly worn. Every date is valued at base silver value in this condition. These worn quality coins trade in bulk.

Collectors assemble sets of Franklin halves primarily in Mint State grade - a coin in like new condition. In just slightly worn condition there are a few dates collectors place a premium. The D and S mintmark varieties are the standouts. Franklin Half Dollar Value Chart with all dates and mints, plus grading examples to judge condition.

Large numbers were minted at both Philadelphia and Denver mints, with large supplies available today. A "D" mintmark on the reverse identifies the Denver coin. Any Kennedy half dollar with visible wear is valued at the base silver level. Both Philadelphia and Denver coins trade at the same level. The important consideration is to identify your Kennedy half as year Advanced age plus high quality is causing many silver coins minted prior to to rise above base silver.

Older series minted before are valued well above silver unless heavily worn. All of these old silver coins are examined, valued, and sold individually.