Quarter dollars, also known as the United States quarters, have always been
significant in the US coinage. The quarters the US Mint produces and
circulates today are mainly made up of the cupronickel (copper + nickel)
alloy.
However, if you want to invest in
silver bullion
you might ask: which quarters are silver? Are they silver coins from the past,
or what is the secret for recognizing silver quarters correctly?
Quarter dollars minted until 1965 also had silver sandwiched inside them.
Given the value of silver in the bullion market, this makes them ideal
investment options. Moreover, if you have these coins in your collection, you
may be sitting on some fortune!
Before making any moves, it is important to know which quarters are silver.
Allow us to resolve this issue for you, along with helping you identify the
silver quarter value. While identifying which quarters are silver is not as
difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, it can be quite challenging for
the uninformed.
Be not afraid, we are here to help!
Which Quarters are Silver?
If you are still confused about which quarters are silver and which to
invest or collect, you can look for coins minted before 1965. You would be
glad to know that these quarters contained 90% silver and their existing
melt value is much higher than their melt value. Considered “junk silver,”
these silver quarters can fetch you quite some melt value.
So, the simple answer to your question, “Which quarters are silver?” is the
ones that were minted in or before 1964.
Types of Silver Quarters with Silver Content
Let us now have a look at the silver quarters, the years in which they were
minted, and the silver content in them:
Pre-1932 Quarters
The
United States Mint
was founded in 1792. Four years later, the Mint introduced the first silver
quarter with a face value of 25 cents.
Here are the five kinds of pre-1932 quarters and their silver contents:
Draped Bust Coins (1796 – 1807)
The first American silver quarter, minted between 1796 and 1807, was engraved
by Robert Scot. These quarters are known as the Draped Bust variety of silver
quarters. Weighing 6.739g, these quarters contain 89.24% of fine silver.
Capped Bust Coins (1815 – 1838)
The Capped Bust coins followed the Draped Bust series. John Reich envisioned
and Chief Engraver William Kneass adapted these silver quarters. These coins
were minted with 89.2% fine silver.
Seated Liberty Coins (1838 – 1891)
1838 onward, the US Mint brought about a change in the silver quarters’ metal
content. Thomas Sully and Mint Engraver Christian Gobrecht designed the Seated
Liberty coins. With 90% fine silver, the coins in 1838, 1853, and 1873 weighed
6.682g, 6.22g, 6.25g respectively.
Barber Coins (1892 – 1916)
The Seated Liberty silver quarters had quite a long run in the US, after which
a redesign was needed. This is when the Barber coins came into existence.
Retaining the 90% fine silver composition, these coins weighed 6.25 grams.
Running for twenty-four long years, these coins get their name from their
designer Charles Barber.
Standing Liberty Coins (1916 – 1930)
Marking the end of the pre-1932 coins are the Standing Liberty coins. Just
like their predecessors, these coins weighed 6.25 grams and contained 90% fine
silver. Consisting of an upright Goddess Liberty figure, the Standing Liberty
coins were designed by a sculptor named Atkins MacNeil.
Washington Quarters (1932 – 1964)
The Washington silver quarters enjoyed the longest run in the US coinage.
Designed by the sculptor John Flanagan, the coins feature a portrait of George
Washington. Until 1965, the US Mint produced these coins every year with 90%
fine silver composition.
Pre-1965 Quarters
As the
silver prices
rose during the Washington quarter’s run, the US Mint changed the metal
composition of the coins. This is when President Lyndon Johnson approved using
the copper-nickel alloy to mint the quarter dollars.
1976 Bicentennial Quarters
To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the independence of the United States
of America, the Government issued special bicentennial coins in 1975 and 1976.
These coins were minted in Denver, Philadelphia, and San Fransisco. The
Philadelphia and Denver coins were cupronickel coins. However, the San
Fransisco Mint produced coins with 60% fine silver. The mint issued around 5
million of these silver quarters.
Silver Proof Quarters
Since 1992, the US Mint started producing silver-proof coins every year. They
were both clad (made out of the copper-nickel alloy) and 90% fine silver.
Moreover, the mintage of such coins is almost always less than one million,
making them even more valuable for collectors.
How to Identify Silver Quarter Value
If you are planning to collect silver quarters or ensure that the coins you
have are silver quarters, here are a few ways to confirm the same:
Look for the Date
Before anything else, check the date on the concerned quarter. If it is minted
before 1965, it is most likely to contain over 80% fine silver.
Check the Mint Mark
Even if you find a coin dated 1965 or after, look for the mint mark on it. If
it contains the “S” mintmark, it is likely to have a high silver percentage.
This is because the San Fransisco Mint printed coins, especially for
collection purposes.
Determine the Composition
If a quarter dollar carried a date older than 1965, it is likely to contain
more than 80% silver in its composition. After 1965, silver coins (minted at
the San Fransisco Mint) contained around 40% silver in their composition. Seek
help from coin guides or trusted coin dealers to confirm this information.
Consider Collectability
If you want to collect the best silver quarters or get the best price for your
coins, look for features that make the coins unique. Factors like mintage
errors, historical significance, and low mintage figures make a coin more
valuable than an ordinary silver quarter.
The Final Word
Silver is more valuable now than it ever was. The thought of people
circulating quarters having around 90% pure silver itself is puzzling which
raises a question of which quarters are silver when it comes to pure silver.
Now that we know how valuable silver is, we can make the most of the silver
quarters that carry significant value. While you expand your collection,
ensure that authentic coin dealers assist you and refer to trusted guides to
get the best deals.
