How Many 90% Silver Dimes Make an Ounce?
Uncover the simple method to determine how many pre-1965 US silver dimes equal a troy ounce, revealing their intrinsic metal value.
United States coins minted before 1965 hold significant historical and intrinsic value due to their silver content. Unlike much of today’s circulating currency, these coins were produced with a substantial amount of precious metal. Understanding their composition and weight clarifies their worth beyond face value.
Understanding the Components of the Calculation
Approximately 14 dimes minted before 1965 are needed to accumulate one troy ounce of pure silver. These coins are known as “90% silver,” meaning they contain 90% pure silver and 10% copper. Copper was intentionally added to enhance the coins’ durability for everyday circulation. This standard was established by the Coinage Act of 1837, which set the fineness of silver coinage at 90% pure silver.
A pre-1965 United States silver dime has a standard weight of 2.5 grams. Given its 90% silver composition, each dime contains 2.25 grams of pure silver (2.5 grams x 0.90). The troy ounce serves as the standard unit of measurement for precious metals. One troy ounce is precisely equivalent to 31.1034768 grams.
Calculating the Silver Content
Determining how many 90% silver dimes constitute a troy ounce of pure silver involves a straightforward calculation. One divides the total grams in a troy ounce by the pure silver content of a single dime. This means dividing 31.1034768 grams (one troy ounce) by 2.25 grams (the pure silver content per dime).
This calculation yields approximately 13.82 dimes per troy ounce of pure silver. Since it is not possible to possess a fraction of a coin, the number is rounded. Therefore, approximately 14 dimes are considered to contain at least one full troy ounce of pure silver.
Other US 90% Silver Coinage
Beyond dimes, other United States coins minted before 1965 also share the 90% silver composition. These include quarters, half dollars, and some silver dollars. A pre-1965 quarter weighs 6.25 grams and contains 5.625 grams of pure silver, meaning roughly 6 quarters equate to one troy ounce of silver. Pre-1965 half dollars weigh 12.5 grams, with 11.25 grams of pure silver, requiring approximately 3 half dollars for a troy ounce. Larger silver dollars, such as the Morgan and Peace dollars, contain about 24.057 grams of pure silver, with around 1.3 of these coins making up a troy ounce.
These circulating 90% silver coins are often referred to as “junk silver” within the precious metals market. This term indicates their value is primarily derived from their silver content, not from numismatic rarity or collectible condition. The Coinage Act of 1965 marked a significant shift, removing silver from dimes and quarters entirely and reducing the silver content in half dollars to 40%. When selling these precious metals, any gains realized are classified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as capital gains on collectibles, which may be subject to specific tax rates depending on the holding period and the taxpayer’s income bracket.