Junk Silver
Calculator
Live melt values for US 90% silver coins, Canadian 80% pre-1968 silver coins, and war nickels. Enter a face value amount or count coin by coin.
Quick calculation
Enter a total face value in 90% junk silver
Uses the 0.715 oz/$ industry standard for 90% silver — accounts for average coin wear
Or count coin by coin
Silver Dime
Roosevelt or Mercury · pre-1965 · 90%
Silver Quarter
Washington · pre-1965 · 90%
Half Dollar (90%)
Walking Liberty, Franklin, or 1964 Kennedy · 90%
Half Dollar (40%)
Kennedy · 1965–1970 · 40%
War Nickel
1942–1945 · 35% silver · large mintmark above Monticello
Silver Dollar (90%)
Morgan or Peace · 90%
Canadian silver · pre-1968 · 80%
Canadian Dime
pre-1968 · 80% silver
Canadian Quarter
pre-1968 · 80% silver
Canadian Half Dollar
pre-1968 · 80% silver
Canadian Dollar
pre-1968 · 80% silver
Melt value = troy oz silver content × live spot price · Numbers reflect raw silver weight, not numismatic value
Today's US junk silver melt values
$1 face value uses 0.715 oz (industry standard for circulated 90% silver). Individual coin figures use actual specified weight.
Canadian junk silver melt values (pre-1968)
Canadian dimes, quarters, halves, and dollars minted before 1968 are 80% silver.
$1 face value in Canadian 80% silver = 0.600 oz (vs 0.715 oz for US 90% silver). Pre-1968 coins only; post-1968 Canadian coins contain no silver.
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Common questions
What is junk silver?
Junk silver refers to pre-1965 US dimes, quarters, and half dollars that are 90% silver. The term 'junk' doesn't mean low quality — it means no numismatic (collectible) premium. These coins are valued purely for their silver content. Dealers trade them by face value, typically quoting a price per dollar of face value.
How many troy ounces of silver are in $1 of junk silver?
$1 face value in 90% silver coins contains approximately 0.715 troy ounces of silver. This figure accounts for average coin wear over time. A new, uncirculated coin would contain 0.7234 oz per dollar face value, but 0.715 is the industry-standard figure used by dealers and calculators for circulated junk silver.
How much silver is in a pre-1965 dime?
A pre-1965 Roosevelt or Mercury dime contains 0.07234 troy ounces of silver. Ten dimes ($1 face value) contains 0.7234 troy oz of silver before wear adjustment.
How much silver is in a pre-1965 quarter?
A pre-1965 Washington quarter contains 0.18084 troy ounces of silver. Four quarters ($1 face value) contains 0.7234 troy oz before wear adjustment.
Are 1965–1970 Kennedy half dollars junk silver?
Yes, but they're 40% silver, not 90%. Kennedy half dollars minted from 1965 to 1970 contain 0.1479 troy ounces of silver each. Kennedy halves from 1964 are 90% silver (0.3617 oz). Halves from 1971 onward contain no silver.
What is the melt value of a Morgan silver dollar?
A Morgan or Peace silver dollar contains 0.77344 troy ounces of silver (90% silver, 26.73g total weight). To find the current melt value, multiply 0.77344 by the live silver spot price.
What is the melt value of Canadian junk silver coins?
Canadian pre-1968 dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollar coins are 80% silver (compared to 90% for US coins). A Canadian dime contains 0.0600 troy oz of silver, a quarter 0.1500 oz, a half dollar 0.3000 oz, and a dollar coin 0.6000 oz. $1 face value in Canadian 80% silver holds 0.600 troy oz — slightly less than the 0.715 oz in US 90% junk silver. Multiply any coin's silver content by the live spot price to find today's melt value.
Are war nickels junk silver?
Yes. War nickels — minted from mid-1942 through 1945 — are 35% silver and qualify as junk silver. They were made with silver to conserve nickel for the war effort. Each war nickel contains 0.05626 troy ounces of silver. You can identify them by the large mintmark (P, D, or S) above Monticello on the reverse. Standard nickels minted before 1942 and after 1945 contain no silver.
Do dealers pay melt value for junk silver?
Most dealers pay 90–97% of melt value for common 90% silver coins, depending on the dealer, quantity, and current market. Rare dates or coins in exceptional condition may command premiums above melt. When selling large quantities, spot minus a small percentage is typical.
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