It’s one of the most misleading names in the hobby. “Junk silver” isn’t junk at all, here’s what it is, how to figure out what it’s worth, and how to do the math yourself.
“Junk silver” just means common silver coins with no extra collector premium, they’re valued for the silver inside. They’re real, circulated US coins, often a century old, and one of the most popular ways to own silver.
The term covers common-date US coins made of real silver, with no numismatic premium on top:
• 90% silver, dimes, quarters, and half dollars dated 1964 or earlier. This is the classic “junk silver.”
• 40% silver, Kennedy half dollars from 1965–1970.
• 35% silver, Jefferson “war nickels” from 1942–1945 (look for the large mint mark over Monticello).
What it does not include: key dates, high-grade coins, or anything with collector value beyond the metal, those are worth more and shouldn’t be sold as junk. (Not sure which is which? See how to tell if a coin is silver.)
The value of junk silver tracks the silver spot price, and there’s a simple rule of thumb dealers use. For 90% silver coins:
$1 of face value in 90% silver contains about 0.715 troy ounces of silver.
So to estimate the melt value of a pile of 90% coins:
• Add up the face value (e.g., a roll of 40 silver quarters = $10.00 face).
• Multiply by 0.715 to get the silver ounces ($10 × 0.715 = about 7.15 oz).
• Multiply by the current silver spot price for the approximate melt value.
That figure is the melt value. A dealer pays a percentage of melt, how close to melt depends on the quantity (bigger lots get closer to spot), the coin types, and the day’s market. The handy part is you can ballpark any amount of junk silver from its face value alone.
Because the silver content is tied to denomination, you don’t need to weigh anything. A “$1 face” mix of any 90% silver dimes, quarters, or halves contains essentially the same silver. That’s why dealers and collectors talk in terms of face value and “bags” (a classic $1,000-face bag), it’s a clean, consistent unit.
• Don’t assume everything is common. Occasionally a key date or a better coin hides in a junk pile. It’s worth having someone glance through before you sell it all as melt.
• Don’t clean it. Even for junk silver, cleaning does nothing good.
• Worn coins lose a little metal, so very worn pieces are figured at a hair under the standard content.
I buy 90% silver, 40% halves, and war nickels by the coin, the roll, or the bag, and I’ll always glance through for anything better than junk before quoting. Text a photo with a rough face-value total and I’ll give you a number. More on my silver coin buying and bullion services.
Common-date US dimes, quarters, and halves dated 1964 or earlier (90% silver), plus 40% silver Kennedy halves from 1965–1970 and 35% war nickels from 1942–1945. “Junk” means no collector premium, not damaged.
$1 of face value in 90% silver holds about 0.715 troy oz of silver. Multiply face value by 0.715, then by the silver spot price, for the melt value. Dealers pay a percentage of melt based on quantity and market.
No. The label only means no extra collector premium. These are real, century-old US coins and a popular, liquid way to own silver.
Yes, by the coin, roll, or bag, anywhere in Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland, paid on the spot.
Text a photo and a rough face-value total. I’ll give you a fair number, no pressure.