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 Roosevelt Dime (silver)
$3.87
A Roosevelt Dime (silver) (1946–1964) weighs 2.5 grams and is made of 90% silver, 10% copper. That works out to 0.07234 troy ounces of pure silver, so at today’s spot price the metal in one coin is worth about $3.87.
Roosevelt dimes dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver. From 1965 they are copper-nickel clad (silver proof sets excepted).
| Years | 1946–1964 |
|---|---|
| Face value | $0.10 |
| Weight | 2.5 g (0.0804 troy oz) |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Diameter | 17.91 mm |
| Silver content | 2.250 g (0.07234 troy oz) · worth $3.87 |
| Copper content | 0.250 g · worth $0.0035 |
| Quantity | Face value | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.10 | $3.87 |
| 5 | $0.50 | $19.35 |
| 10 | $1.00 | $38.69 |
| 50 (1 roll) | $5.00 | $193.47 |
| 100 | $10.00 | $386.93 |
| 1,000 | $100.00 | $3,869.34 |
| Date | Melt value then | Change to today |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month ago (Oct 9, 2026) | $4.39 | ▼ -11.85% |
| 1 year ago (Nov 9, 2025) | $3.48 | ▲ +11.31% |
| 5 years ago (Nov 9, 2021) | $1.76 | ▲ +119.41% |
| 10 years ago (Nov 9, 2016) | $1.09 | ▲ +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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892–1916 | 0.0723 oz silver | $3.87 | 38.7× | |
| 1916–1945 | 0.0723 oz silver | $3.87 | 38.7× | |
| 1965–present | 2.268 g · 91.67% copper | $0.0325 | 0.3× |
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.