How Much Silver Is in a Quarter & How to Find Them
Explore the hidden silver content in U.S. quarters. Understand which coins possess it and simple methods to identify them.
Many people mistakenly believe all quarters circulating today contain silver. However, modern U.S. quarters are not made with silver. Their composition changed significantly decades ago. This article explores the historical context of silver in quarters, details their silver content, and provides practical methods for identifying these valuable coins.
Historical Silver Quarters
For many years, U.S. quarters were minted with a substantial silver content. This practice continued until 1964, when the last regular issue quarters containing silver were produced. The shift away from silver coinage was primarily driven by rising silver prices and an increasing demand for coins, which led to coin shortages.
In response to these economic pressures, the U.S. Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1965. This legislation eliminated silver from dimes and quarters, while also reducing the silver content in half-dollars. Quarters minted from 1965 onward were instead composed of a copper-nickel clad material, marking a significant change in the nation’s coinage. Therefore, quarters dated 1964 or earlier are the ones to look for.
Silver Content Details
Pre-1965 U.S. quarters, particularly the Washington Quarters minted from 1932 to 1964, contained a notable amount of precious metal. These coins were composed of 90% silver and 10% copper.
A silver quarter from this era has a total weight of 6.25 grams. Within that weight, the actual pure silver content amounts to approximately 0.18084 troy ounces, which is roughly 5.63 grams. In contrast, modern quarters, minted from 1965 to the present, weigh about 5.67 grams and are made of 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel, containing no silver at all.
Identifying Silver Quarters
Several practical methods can help distinguish silver quarters from their modern counterparts. The most straightforward approach involves checking the minting year; any quarter dated 1964 or earlier contains silver.
Another reliable method is the edge test. Silver quarters have a solid silver appearance along their edge, with no visible copper stripe. In contrast, modern copper-nickel clad quarters will clearly display a distinct copper layer when viewed from the side.
A sound test, sometimes called a “ring test,” can also be helpful. When dropped on a hard surface, a silver quarter produces a higher-pitched, more resonant ring compared to the duller sound of a clad quarter.