Which US Coins Are Silver? A Year-by-Year Cheat Sheet
1964 and earlier dimes, quarters and halves are 90% silver. Here's every US silver coin by year, plus the look-alikes that fool people.
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Melt value of one Peace Silver Dollar
$41.37
A Peace Silver Dollar (1921–1935) weighs 26.73 grams and is made of 90% silver, 10% copper. That works out to 0.77345 troy ounces of pure silver, so at today’s spot price the metal in one coin is worth about $41.37.
Collector Peace dollars struck from 2021 are .999 fine silver.
| Years | 1921–1935 |
|---|---|
| Face value | $1.00 |
| Weight | 26.73 g (0.8594 troy oz) |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Diameter | 38.1 mm |
| Silver content | 24.057 g (0.77345 troy oz) · worth $41.33 |
| Copper content | 2.673 g · worth $0.0378 |
| Quantity | Face value | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.00 | $41.37 |
| 5 | $5.00 | $206.85 |
| 10 | $10.00 | $413.71 |
| 20 (1 roll) | $20.00 | $827.42 |
| 100 | $100.00 | $4,137.10 |
| 1,000 | $1,000.00 | $41,371.00 |
| Date | Melt value then | Change to today |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month ago (Oct 9, 2026) | $46.93 | ▼ -11.85% |
| 1 year ago (Nov 9, 2025) | $37.17 | ▲ +11.31% |
| 5 years ago (Nov 9, 2021) | $18.86 | ▲ +119.41% |
| 10 years ago (Nov 9, 2016) | $11.65 | ▲ +255.01% |
Based on stored daily closing prices.
Melt value is the floor: the value of the metal alone. Dealers who buy coins for their metal usually pay a little below melt. Coins with a rare date, mint mark or error, or in uncirculated condition, can sell for far more than melt to collectors – check a current price guide or have the coin graded before selling anything that looks scarce.
Have several coins? Use the coin melt value calculator or the junk silver calculator.
| Coin | Years | Metal content | Melt value | × face |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1873–1885 | 0.7876 oz silver | $42.13 | 42.1× | |
| 1878–1904, 1921 | 0.7735 oz silver | $41.37 | 41.4× | |
| 1971–1976 | 0.3162 oz silver | $17.11 | 17.1× | |
| 1971–1978 | 22.68 g · 91.67% copper | $0.3249 | 0.3× | |
| 1979–1981, 1999 | 8.1 g · 87.5% copper | $0.1168 | 0.1× | |
| 2000–present | 8.1 g · 88.5% copper | $0.1060 | 0.1× | |
| 2007–2016, 2020 | 8.1 g · 88.5% copper | $0.1060 | 0.1× |
Melt value = metal content × today’s spot price. It is not what a dealer pays (usually less) or a collector’s price (often more).
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Melt values are estimates based on spot prices and official coin specifications. Dealers usually pay less than melt; rare coins can be worth far more to collectors.