How to Tell If a Coin Is Silver: 5 Easy Checks
You found a jar of old coins in a drawer. Maybe you inherited a small collection, or noticed an older quarter that looks different from the change in your pocket. The first question is simple: is this coin actually silver?
For most U.S. coins, you can get a good answer at home in a few minutes. The date alone often tells you. The edge and weight give you more clues.
Keep one thing in mind as you go. These checks are screening clues, not proof. Only professional testing confirms that a coin is silver.
And before you start: don't clean the coins. Some silver coins are worth more to collectors than the silver they contain, and cleaning can wipe out that value.
1. Start With the Date
For U.S. coins, the date is the fastest place to start. Dimes, quarters, and half dollars dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver.
Coin | Silver years | Silver content |
Mercury dime | 1916-1945 | 90% |
Roosevelt dime | 1946-1964 | 90% |
Washington quarter | 1932-1964 | 90% |
Walking Liberty half dollar | 1916-1947 | 90% |
Franklin half dollar | 1948-1963 | 90% |
Kennedy half dollar | 1964 | 90% |
Kennedy half dollar | 1965-1970 | 40% |
Jefferson "war nickel" | 1942-1945 | 35% |
Older coins made before these series, like Barber dimes and quarters, are silver too. Don't assume a coin isn't silver just because you don't recognize it.
Two exceptions to the 1964 rule
Kennedy half dollars from 1965 to 1970 are 40% silver. The U.S. Mint cut the half dollar to 40% silver in 1965 and removed silver from it entirely in 1971.
Some Jefferson nickels from 1942 to 1945 are 35% silver. To spot one, flip it over. War nickels have a large P, D, or S mint mark above Monticello's dome. Regular nickels from those years have a small mint mark to the right of the building, or none at all.
What about silver dollars?
Silver dollars are their own category. Morgan dollars (1878-1904 and 1921) and Peace dollars (1921-1935) are 90% silver and weigh 26.73 grams.
Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea dollars contain no silver, and neither do the Eisenhower dollars that circulated. Only certain collector Eisenhower dollars sold from 1971 to 1976 are 40% silver. They weigh 24.59 grams, compared with 22.68 grams for the regular version.
2. Look at the Edge
Turn the coin on its side. Modern U.S. dimes, quarters, and half dollars are clad coins: layers of copper-nickel over a copper core. On the edge, you'll see a copper-colored stripe.
A 90% silver coin has a solid silver-gray edge, with no stripe.
The easiest way to see the difference is to hold a pre-1965 quarter next to a modern one. Dirt, wear, and toning can make this harder to read, so use it as a second clue after the date.
3. Check the Weight
Silver coins were made to exact weights, and they weigh more than their modern clad versions. A small digital scale can tell them apart.
Coin | Silver | Modern clad |
Dime | 2.50 g | 2.27 g |
Quarter | 6.25 g | 5.67 g |
Half dollar (1964 and earlier) | 12.50 g | 11.34 g |
Half dollar (1965-1970, 40% silver) | 11.50 g | 11.34 g |
A dime differs by only about a quarter of a gram, so use a scale that reads to 0.01 gram. A kitchen scale won't catch it.
Weight alone can't prove a coin is real. Worn coins lose a little metal, and some counterfeits are made close to the right weight. Treat weight as one more piece of evidence.
4. Try a Magnet
Silver isn't magnetic. If a coin sticks to a magnet, it isn't silver.
But a coin that doesn't stick isn't proven silver either. Copper-nickel clad coins aren't magnetic, and many fakes are made from non-magnetic metals. The magnet test rules things out. It can't confirm anything.
5. The Ring Test (Use With Care)
Some people balance a coin on a fingertip, tap it with another coin, and listen. Silver tends to ring clearer and longer than base metals.
It's hard to judge unless you know how a real silver coin of that size sounds. Wear and the way you tap both change the sound. Tapping a coin that might be valuable can also mark it. If the date, edge, and weight already point to silver, skip this one.
What If the Coin Says "Fine Silver" or ".999"?
Modern bullion coins usually state their silver content right on the coin. An American Silver Eagle, for example, is marked as one troy ounce of fine silver.
Markings help, but replicas and counterfeits of popular bullion coins exist. If anything seems off, have it tested instead of trying harsher tests at home.
Is a Silver Coin Worth More Than Its Silver?
Sometimes. Silver content times the spot price gives you melt value, which is the floor. Date, mint mark, condition, and rarity can push a coin well above that. Our guide to what your coins are worth covers which dates to look for, and we explain when a coin is worth more than its silver in a separate post.
Don't Clean Old Silver Coins
An old silver coin may look dark or tarnished. Your instinct may be to polish it before showing anyone. Don't.
Collectors want original surfaces. Polishing, scrubbing, or using chemicals can leave marks that cut a collectible coin's value. Leave it as you found it until you know what you have.
The Quick Version
Date: dimes, quarters, and halves from 1964 or earlier are 90% silver.
Edge: no copper stripe is a good sign.
Weight: compare it with the table above on a 0.01 gram scale.
Magnet: if it sticks, it isn't silver.
Ring test: a clue at best. Skip it on coins that could be valuable.
Knowing a coin is silver is the first step. The next question is what it's worth, and that depends on more than silver content.
Get Your Coins Checked
Not sure what you have? Bring your coins to our East Hanover or Hamburg location, or get an offer online and discuss over the phone. We test everything in front of you, explain what you have, and there's no obligation to sell. Call (973) 428-1900.
