Junk Silver Calculator

Calculate the value of your 90% silver US coins by face value.

Current silver spot price: $65.56/ozt · Last updated: 8/11/2026, 4:51:42 AM

Junk Silver Value Calculator

Prices last updated: 8/11/2026, 4:51:42 AM

Coin Type

Total Face Value ($)

$1 face value of 90% silver coins contains approximately 0.715 troy ounces of silver.

Payout Percentage (% of melt value)

Dealers typically pay 80–95% of melt for junk silver.

Total Melt Value

$468.78

Total Silver Content

7.1500 ozt

Approx. Coin Count

20 coins

Based on silver spot price of $65.56/ozt · 0.715 ozt silver per $1 face value

Quick Reference: $1 Face Value Melt Values

Denomination	Coins / $1	Melt Value
Dimes	10	$46.88
Quarters	4	$46.88
Half Dollars	2	$46.88
Silver Dollars	1	$50.71

$1 face value of dimes, quarters, or halves = 0.715 ozt silver. Silver dollars contain 0.7734 ozt each.

What Counts as Junk Silver?

Pre-1965 Roosevelt Dimes (1946–1964)
Pre-1965 Washington Quarters (1932–1964)
Walking Liberty Halves (1916–1947)
Franklin Halves (1948–1963)
1964 Kennedy Halves (90% silver only)
Morgan and Peace Dollars (1878–1935)

What Is Junk Silver?

"Junk silver" is the term coin dealers and investors use for common-date US coins minted before 1965 that contain 90% silver. They are called "junk" not because they are worthless, but because they have no significant numismatic value — they are valued for their silver content, not their rarity. A roll of pre-1965 dimes ($5 face value) contains about 3.575 troy ounces of silver.

Junk silver is popular with investors who want physical silver in small, recognizable denominations. A single dime contains 0.0723 ozt of silver, a quarter 0.1808 ozt, and a half dollar 0.3617 ozt. Because these coins are legal tender, they are easy to authenticate and hard to counterfeit. They trade at a small premium over spot — typically 5–15% above melt value for common dates.

The standard unit for pricing junk silver is the "bag" — $1,000 face value, which contains approximately 715 troy ounces of silver. Bags are also sold as half-bags ($500 face, ~357.5 ozt) and quarter-bags ($250 face, ~178.75 ozt). Use the calculator above to find the value of any amount of junk silver by face value.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is junk silver?

Junk silver refers to common-date US coins minted before 1965 that contain 90% silver. They are bought and sold for their silver content rather than their numismatic value. The most common junk silver coins are pre-1965 Roosevelt dimes, Washington quarters, and Franklin/Walking Liberty/Kennedy half dollars.

How much is $1 face value of junk silver worth?

$1 face value of 90% silver coins contains approximately 0.715 troy ounces of silver. The melt value is 0.715 multiplied by the current silver spot price. Use the calculator on this page for the exact value at today's price.

Why 0.715 ozt per dollar and not 0.7234?

A single silver dollar contains 0.7734 ozt, but dimes, quarters, and halves contain slightly less silver per dollar of face value due to wear and rounding in the original specifications. The industry standard for junk silver bags is 0.715 ozt per $1 face value, which accounts for typical wear on circulated coins.

Are War Nickels considered junk silver?

War Nickels (1942–1945) contain 35% silver, not 90%. They are not typically included in standard junk silver bags, which are 90% silver. However, $1 face value of War Nickels contains approximately 1.125 ozt of silver — more per dollar than 90% coins. They are usually priced separately.