What Year Did They Stop Silver Quarters?
Understand the pivotal change in US quarter composition, exploring when and why silver was phased out, and how to distinguish different coin types.
For much of its history, the United States quarter dollar was composed primarily of silver. This precious metal content gave the quarter inherent value beyond its face denomination. Specifically, quarters minted from 1837 through 1964 contained 90% silver and 10% copper. This composition established a long-standing tradition for the coin.
The Shift to Clad Coinage
The United States stopped minting quarters with 90% silver content in 1964. In 1965, a significant transition occurred to “clad coinage.” Clad coinage refers to a manufacturing process where multiple layers of different metals are bonded together. For quarters, this meant a pure copper core was sandwiched between outer layers made of an alloy consisting of 75% copper and 25% nickel. This new composition became the standard for circulating quarters from 1965 onward.
Economic Factors Driving the Change
The decision to eliminate silver from circulating quarters was a direct response to economic pressures in the early 1960s. The market price of silver began to rise, causing the intrinsic metal value of the coins to exceed their face value. This economic imbalance created a strong incentive for individuals to hoard silver coins. The widespread hoarding led to a shortage of circulating coinage, disrupting everyday transactions and commerce.
To address this shortage and prevent the melting down of coins for their silver content, Congress enacted the Coinage Act of 1965. This legislation authorized the U.S. Mint to produce silverless dimes and quarters, ensuring a stable supply of currency.
How to Identify Quarter Composition
To identify a quarter’s composition, examine a few key characteristics. Check the coin’s date: quarters dated 1964 and earlier are composed of 90% silver, while those dated 1965 and later are clad.
The coin’s edge is another indicator. Silver quarters display a solid, uniform silver color along their edge, whereas clad quarters reveal a distinct copper stripe or core visible between the outer layers.
Physical properties also offer clues. Silver quarters typically weigh 6.25 grams, which is slightly heavier than clad quarters that weigh 5.67 grams. The sound a quarter makes when dropped can also be distinctive; silver quarters tend to produce a higher-pitched ring compared to the duller thud of clad coins. Silver coins often possess a unique luster and may exhibit tarnishing over time, unlike the more consistent grey appearance of clad coinage.