When Did They Stop Making Silver Quarters?

For centuries, silver held a prominent place in U.S. coinage, reflecting its intrinsic value. The U.S. Mint, established in 1792, began producing silver coins, including quarters, as a fundamental part of the nation’s currency system. This tradition continued for a substantial period, making silver quarters a familiar aspect of daily commerce.

The End of Silver Quarters

The year 1964 marked a significant turning point for U.S. coinage, as it was the last year quarters were regularly minted with 90% silver for general circulation. Prior to this date, Washington quarters, first introduced in 1932, contained 90% silver and 10% copper. While 1964 is widely recognized as the end, some 1964-dated silver quarters were produced into 1965 and early 1966 due to a transitional period. These coins still bear the 1964 date, making that year the definitive cutoff for regular silver quarter production.

The Coinage Act of 1965

The cessation of silver coinage stemmed from economic pressures, particularly the rising market price of silver in the early 1960s. As silver’s value increased, the metallic content of dimes and quarters began to exceed their face value, leading to widespread hoarding. This created a severe coin shortage across the country, disrupting everyday transactions.

In response, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Coinage Act of 1965 into law on July 23, 1965. This legislation officially eliminated silver from dimes and quarters and reduced the silver content of half dollars from 90% to 40%. President Johnson noted silver’s scarcity, making its continued use for circulating coinage impractical. The Act aimed to ensure an adequate supply of coins for commerce by transitioning to less valuable metals. This change represented a fundamental shift from nearly 175 years of federal coinage laws.

New Quarter Composition

Following the Coinage Act of 1965, quarters adopted a new “clad” composition. These new coins consist of an inner core of pure copper, bonded between outer layers of a copper-nickel alloy. The outer layers are 75% copper and 25% nickel, resulting in an overall coin composition of 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. This layered construction is also known as the “Johnson Sandwich,” named after President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Clad quarters are visually distinguishable from their silver predecessors by a visible copper stripe on the coin’s edge, which is not present on solid silver quarters. Modern clad quarters also weigh 5.67 grams, slightly less than the 6.25 grams of older 90% silver quarters. This new composition allowed the U.S. Mint to produce coins that functioned similarly in vending machines, without their intrinsic metal value surpassing their face value.

How to Identify Silver Quarters

Identifying a silver quarter involves a few simple checks. The most straightforward method is to examine the coin’s date: any U.S. quarter dated 1964 or earlier is composed of 90% silver. These quarters were the last of their kind produced for general circulation.

Another reliable indicator is the coin’s edge. Silver quarters exhibit a uniform silver color along their entire edge, with no visible copper stripe. In contrast, clad quarters, minted from 1965 onward, display a reddish-orange copper layer between the outer nickel layers.

A sound test can also be helpful; when dropped on a hard surface, silver quarters produce a higher-pitched, ringing sound, while clad coins make a duller thud. Silver quarters also have a slightly heavier feel and weight compared to modern clad coins.