What coins are silver? (Reference list)

Below are two lists of regular US coins made from silver. They are sorted by type and include the date of manufacture.

The first list includes types of coins that are primarily purchased as collectibles and have a value that is essentially independent of the price of silver. The second list contains coins that are actively traded by type against the value of their silver content (melting value).

Collector silver coins

• Three Cent Silver – 1851-1873
• Flowing hair half pennies – 1794-1795
• Bust half penny – 1796-1837
• Liberty Seated Half Dimes – 1837-1873
• Bust Groschen – 1796-1837
• Seated Freedom Dimes – 1837-1891
• Barber Dimes – 1892-1916
• Twenty cents – 1875-1878
• Draped bust quarters – 1796-1838
• Liberty Quarters with Seating – 1838-1891
• Barber Quarters – 1892-1916
• Standing Freedom Quarter – 1916-1930
• Flowing Hair Half Dollars – 1794-1795
• Half dollar bust – 1796-1839
• Seated Liberty Half Dollars – 1839-1891
• Barber Half Dollars – 1892-1915
• Flowing Hair Dollars – 1794-1795
• Bust of Dollars – 1795-1804
• Seated Liberty Dollars – 1840-1873
• Trade Dollars – 1873-1885
• Commemorative coins (quarter, half and silver dollars) – 1892-present

Silver coins with investment potential for gold bars

• Wartime Jefferson “Nickels” – 1942-1945 *
• Mercury Dimes – 1916-1945
• Roosevelt Dimes – 1946-present *
• Washington Quarters – 1932-present *
• Walking Liberty Half Dollars – 1916-1947
• Franklin Half Dollars – 1948-1963
• Kennedy Half-Dollar – 1964-Present *
• Morgan Dollars – 1878-1921
• Peace Dollar – 1921-1935
• Eisenhower Dollar – 1971-1978 *
• American Silver Eagles – 1986-present

*Not all editions contain silver, and those that do may not contain a 90% silver composition.

Collecting US silver coins

Many silver coins have been minted throughout the history of the United States Mint, which dates back to 1792. Some of these silver coins may be obvious, including the silver dollar – arguably America’s most famous silver coin. Other silver coins may be farther off your radar, including three-cent silver coins and half cents. And then there are the 1940s silver war nickel, which is 35% silver. (That seems to disprove the usual nickname of the face value of the otherwise base metal coin.)

Not all US silver coins are great investments from a precious metals perspective. This is not because its silver content is not valuable, but because the numismatic or collectible value of the coin far exceeds its investment value.

For example, the 1804 Draped Bust dollar contains about $ 25 in silver. Only 15 pieces were made for this particularly silver dollar. It is a tremendous rarity known as “The King of American Coins” that fetched more than $ 2 million at auction. Is it a great collector’s coin? Absolutely … But its value as a rarity is staggeringly high and independent of the silver value. And from the point of view of the pure silver stacker, $ 2 million is a lot of money for barely an ounce of silver, isn’t it?

Not rare, non-collectable 90% silver coins are often referred to as “scrap silver”. In contrast, rare coins and out-of-circulation coins can be worth much more.

A brief timeline of American silver coins

There are roughly a dozen different types of US silver coins that are widely purchased as gold bars. They encompass a variety of popular designs, some of which are still in production today. Most of these types of silver coins are out of date.

However, the Roosevelt Dime, Washington Quarter, Kennedy Half Dollar, and American Silver Eagle are still in production today. Each was made in silver for the collectors and investors.

All pennies, quarters and half dollars were intended for circulation up to 1964 with a silver content of 90%. In 1965, soaring silver prices forced the United States Mint to adopt a copper-nickel-plated compound for the dime and quarter. The half dollar has been changed to a 40% silvered profile.

In the meantime, the war nickel from 1942-1945 contained a 35 percent silver composition instead of a copper-nickel alloy. The alloy was temporarily scrapped during the height of World War II to save nickel for the war effort. Later on, silver was no longer used to produce nickel.

In 1971, the United States Mint converted all of the Kennedy half-dollars in circulation to the same copper-nickel-plated compound used for the dime and quarter. However, in the same year the production of the Eisenhower dollar began. A limited number of Eisenhower dollars were made for collectors in a 40% silver format through the United States 200th Anniversary of 1976. That same year, the US Mint also issued 40 percent silver bicentenary and half dollars.

As of 1977, the US Mint officially abandoned silver flakes for all of its coin types in circulation. Included were the Washington quarter, the Kennedy half dollar and the Eisenhower dollar. In 1986, the United States’ American Silver Eagle was released as a .999 fine silver coin, specifically minted for investment investors. A proof version has also been created for collectors. Over the years, many collectors have also started collecting the bullion version of the American Silver Eagle year after year.

Proof version of the American Silver Eagle

In 1992 the United States Mint again minted a small number of Roosevelt Dimes, Washington Quarters, and Kennedy Half Dollars in 90% silver. These are usually traded for small amounts above their spot value on the secondary market. In 2015, new legislation stipulated that these silver prints should be made with a fineness of .999. This was fully realized in 2019 when these three denominations were first minted in this purer .999 fine format for certain proof sets.

Invest in silver coins

Guided by the knowledge that a bevy of U.S. silver-sized coins have been minted, you may have to make many decisions about which coins to buy in order to meet your silver investment goals. Keep in mind that many of the silver coin types listed here as good bar purchases have also produced some rare dates whose values ​​are exponentially higher than their spot prices.

Hence, you cannot buy just any Washington Silver Quarter or Morgan Silver Dollar anywhere near spot prices. Usually only circulated examples of shared data fall into this category.

You may be wondering what the pros and cons of buying silver coins are. While silver coins are generally sold for a higher premium, gram for gram, over silver coins or silver bars, opting for silver coins also has many unique advantages. The benefits of buying silver coins include the following.

Advantages of buying silver coins

Legal tender status – Silver coins are real money and can still be issued as cash today if desired. Of course, with silver prices in excess of $ 20 an ounce or much more, this may not be a “pro” worth mentioning. But consider the unlikely but possible scenario that the price of silver will collapse to near zero. (Strange things have happened.) If so, because of the built-in face value of the silver coins you own, you would never lose money on your silver investment.

High liquidity – There are at least two active marketplaces for silver coins: the precious metal market and the numismatic collector’s market. This multiplies the number of ways you have to sell your silver coins and helps to maximize the return on your investment.

Ideally suited for use in emergencies – Many people are piling up silver fearing economic collapse. You want a contingency plan in case the value of the US dollar essentially evaporates. Buying silver coins in different sizes (dimes, quarters, half dollars, etc.) gives you the opportunity to distribute your silver inventory in different amounts. It depends on the size or value of the goods you want to trade for. For example, a 35% silver nickel might buy a postage stamp to mail an important letter (in case the internet goes down), a silver groschen or two will secure a loaf, and so on.

Assortment of 90% Junk Silver US Coins

When it comes to investing in precious metals, buying silver coins is a wonderful way to build a solid portfolio. It can help protect yourself and your loved ones in the event of an unforeseen emergency. If you are looking to buy silver coins, you should contact your trusted silver bullion dealer today.

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez is a journalist, editor, and blogger who has won multiple awards from the Numismatic Literary Guild. He has also authored numerous books, including works detailing the history of the United States Mint and US coinage.

For more information on where to buy precious metals from the authors at Gainesville Coins:

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