Before you call anyone, you can usually figure out whether your coins are silver in about thirty seconds. Here are the five tests I use, in order of how useful they are.
For US coins, you don’t need acid kits or gadgets. The date and the edge of the coin will answer the question almost every time. Start there.
This one test handles the vast majority of US coins. For dimes, quarters, and half dollars:
• Dated 1964 or earlier → 90% silver.
• Dated 1965 or later → copper-nickel “clad,” no silver, except Kennedy half dollars from 1965–1970, which are 40% silver.
A few more: silver dollars (Morgan and Peace) made through 1935 are 90% silver. Jefferson “war nickels” from 1942–1945 are 35% silver. Standard nickels and all pennies are not silver. If your coin passes the date rule, you’re probably holding silver, and the next test confirms it.
Look at the coin edge-on, at the thin side with the ridges. This is the fastest visual confirmation there is:
• A 90% silver coin shows a solid silver-gray edge all the way around.
• A modern clad coin shows an obvious copper-colored stripe running through the middle of the edge, the copper core sandwiched between thin outer layers.
Once you’ve seen that copper stripe a few times, you can sort a jar of coins in seconds.
Silver is denser than the clad alloy, so silver coins weigh a touch more. With an inexpensive gram scale:
• Silver quarter (1964 or earlier): 6.25 g vs. a clad quarter at 5.67 g.
• Silver dime: 2.50 g vs. a clad dime at 2.27 g.
• 90% silver half dollar: 12.50 g.
Worn coins lose a little weight, so treat these as targets, not exact figures.
Balance the coin on a fingertip and tap it gently with another coin. Real silver produces a clear, high, ringing tone that lingers, a sound collectors describe as a “ping.” Clad coins give a duller, shorter clunk. It takes a little practice, but it’s a handy second opinion.
Silver is not magnetic. If a coin sticks to a magnet, it’s definitely not silver. The catch: most US coins aren’t magnetic regardless, so this test is best for catching steel or plated counterfeits, not for confirming silver by itself. Use it alongside the others.
Privately minted bars and rounds are usually stamped .999, “FINE SILVER,” or “ONE TROY OUNCE.” Foreign coins are a different story, silver content varies wildly by country and era, so the US date rule won’t apply. When in doubt, that’s where a second set of eyes helps.
If you’ve run the tests and still aren’t certain, or you’d just rather know for sure, text me a photo of the coins (a shot of the dates and one of the edges is perfect). I’ll confirm what’s silver and what it’s worth. If you have a pile of it, see my silver coin buying and bullion pages, and the guide on what junk silver is worth.
No. For US dimes, quarters, and halves, those dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver; 1965 and later are clad, except 40% silver halves from 1965–1970. Pennies and standard nickels are not silver.
The edge test. A silver coin shows a solid silver edge; a clad coin shows a copper stripe through the middle. Combined with the date, it settles most US coins instantly.
Silver isn’t magnetic, so silver won’t stick. But most US coins aren’t magnetic anyway, so it mainly helps catch steel or plated fakes rather than confirm silver.
Yes, 35% silver, made 1942–1945. Spot them by the large mint mark (P, D, or S) above Monticello on the back, used only on the wartime issues.
Text a photo of the dates and the edges. I’ll confirm what’s silver and what it’s worth today.