Silver Coin Melt Value Calculator — All US Silver Coins

The melt value of a U.S. silver coin is the spot value of the silver in the coin, calculated from the coin's actual silver weight (ASW) and the current price per troy ounce. This page covers every U.S. silver coin denomination — dimes, quarters, half dollars, dollars, and the WWII silver nickel — with a calculator updated daily and links to per-series detail pages for each coin family.

Today's silver spot price: $72.97/oz. Live spot price chart →

Silver Coin Melt Value Calculator

Silver Coin Melt Values Reference Table

90% Silver Half Dollars, $100 FV

Best Price: $5103.67

$50 FV 90% Junk Silver

Best Price: $2526.10

$1 Face Value 80% Canada Junk Silver

Best Price: $45.1

1964 Kennedy Half Dollar (90% Silver, $10 FV)

Best Price: $509.51

Mercury Dimes - $5 Face Value

Best Price: $252.07

$10 Face Value Franklin Half Dollars 90% Silver

Best Price: $510.94

$250 Face Value Bag of 90% Silver U.S. Coins

Best Price: $12915.44

$1 Face Value 90% Silver Standing Liberty Quarters - Worn Dates

Best Price: $72.91

Bahamas $2 Flamingo Silver Coin

Best Price: $67.53

1894-O Morgan Silver Dollar XF

Best Price: $114.95

How Silver Coin Melt Values Are Calculated

The formula is straightforward: melt value = ASW × spot price per troy ounce.

ASW (actual silver weight) is the troy ounces of pure silver in a coin, after accounting for the coin's silver content percentage. A 90% silver Washington quarter weighs 6.25 grams (0.2009 troy oz) but contains only 0.17875 troy oz of pure silver — that's the ASW.

A worked example using a 1964 Washington quarter at today's spot price:

0.17875 troy oz silver × $72.97/oz = melt value

The same math applies across every U.S. silver coin. The only variable that changes day to day is the spot price. ASW is fixed by composition (90%, 40%, or 35% silver), and composition is fixed by Mint year and denomination.

U.S. Silver Coins by Denomination

The five U.S. silver coin denominations cover roughly 70 years of regular silver coinage (1892–1964 for most, with later 40% silver issues running through 1976). Each denomination groups multiple coin series.

Silver Dimes

Three series, all 90% silver, all 0.0715 troy oz ASW:

• Barber Dime (1892–1916) — see the Barber Dime melt value page.
• Mercury Dime (1916–1945) — see the Mercury Dime melt value page.
• Roosevelt Dime, silver issues (1946–1964) — see the Roosevelt Dime melt value page.

Denomination hub: Silver Dime Melt Values.

Silver Quarters

Four series, all 90% silver (1976 Bicentennial S-mint silver included), all 0.17875 troy oz ASW for circulation issues:

• Barber Quarter (1892–1916) — Barber Quarter melt value.
• Standing Liberty Quarter (1916–1930) — Standing Liberty Quarter melt value.
• Washington Silver Quarter (1932–1964) — Washington Silver Quarter melt value.
• 1976 Bicentennial Silver Quarter (S-mint silver-clad collector issues only) — Bicentennial Silver Quarter melt value.

For the full denomination guide: silver quarter melt values.

Silver Half Dollars

Five series, mixed composition. The 1964 Kennedy is the dividing line — 1964 and earlier are 90% silver, 1965–1970 Kennedys are 40% silver:

• Barber Half (1892–1915) — melt value page.
• Walking Liberty Half (1916–1947) — melt value page.
• Franklin Half (1948–1963) — melt value page.
• Kennedy Half, 90% silver (1964 only) — melt value page.
• Kennedy Half, 40% silver (1965–1970) — melt value page.

Denomination hub: Half Dollar Melt Values.

Silver Dollars

Three silver dollar series, all 90% silver except the 1971–1976 Eisenhower (40% silver-clad collector issues):

• Morgan Dollar (1878–1904, 1921) — melt value page.
• Peace Dollar (1921–1935) — melt value page.
• Eisenhower Silver Dollar (1971–1976, 40%) — melt value page.

Denomination hub: Silver Dollar Melt Values.

Silver Nickels

One series only — the War Nickel (1942–1945), struck in 35% silver to conserve nickel for the war effort. ASW 0.0563 troy oz. Melt value page.

Denomination hub: Silver Nickel Melt Values.

40% Silver Coins

Two U.S. coins were minted in 40% silver as a transition composition after the Coinage Act of 1965 phased silver out of circulation:

• 1965–1970 Kennedy Half Dollar — 0.1479 troy oz ASW.
• 1971–1976 Eisenhower Silver Dollar (San Francisco "S" mint mark only) — 0.3161 troy oz ASW.

40% silver coins trade at a discount to their face-value-equivalent 90% silver counterparts and are typically priced separately by dealers. They're a useful entry point for buyers building junk silver bag positions on a budget.

Category hub: 40% Silver Coin Melt Values. For series pages, see 1965-1970 Kennedy Half Dollar and 1971-1976 Eisenhower Silver Dollar.

International coverage: Canadian Silver Coin Melt Values.

Why Melt Value Matters

Melt value is the price floor for a silver coin in any market condition. A coin can sell above melt for two reasons — numismatic premium (the coin is rare, in high grade, or a key date) or product premium (the dealer's markup over spot for a ready-to-sell, packaged product).

For most pre-1965 U.S. silver coins in circulated grades, the numismatic premium is small or zero. These coins are commonly called "junk silver" — not because they lack value, but because they trade primarily on metal content. Their melt value is the dominant pricing factor.

A coin can also sell below melt — uncommon historically, but it has happened. In 2024–2025, refinery throughput backlogs combined with elevated silver prices pushed some 90% silver coin lots into below-melt territory at major dealers. When that happens, the math gets simple: you're buying silver at a discount to spot, with the optionality of selling later at melt or above.

Compare current silver coin prices across dealers →

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between face value and melt value?

Face value is the legal-tender denomination stamped on the coin — $0.10 for a dime, $0.25 for a quarter, etc. Melt value is the value of the silver in the coin at current spot prices. For pre-1965 U.S. silver coins, melt value is almost always many multiples of face value.

When are silver coins worth more than melt?

Three situations: (1) the coin is a key date with low mintage (1916-D Mercury dime, 1893-S Morgan dollar, etc.), (2) the coin is in high grade — uncirculated or near-mint — where numismatic collectors pay a condition premium, (3) the coin has a numismatic feature like a notable die variety or proof finish.

Why are some silver coins selling below melt right now?

When silver prices rise sharply, refineries can have backlogs processing junk silver into refined bullion. During those windows, dealers occasionally clear inventory at slight discounts to melt. It doesn't last long, but when it happens, it's an unusual buying opportunity for stackers.

Are these calculators using current spot prices?

Yes — the calculator and reference table on this page use the current spot price feed, refreshed daily. The spot price quoted at the top of the page is the same price the calculator uses.

What's the difference between 90% and 40% silver coins?

90% silver coins are the standard pre-1965 issues — three parts silver to one part copper, the same composition the U.S. Mint used since the late 1800s. 40% silver coins are the 1965–1970 Kennedy halves and the 1971–1976 silver-clad Eisenhower dollars, struck during the transition era after silver was phased out of circulation. A 40% Kennedy half is worth roughly 44% of what a 90% Kennedy half is worth at melt.

Where can I sell silver coins for melt value?

Most major bullion dealers buy junk silver lots at slight discounts to melt, with the discount widening on smaller transactions and narrowing on larger lots. Your closest-to-spot price comparison shows current dealer offers across the network. Local coin shops and refiners are alternative options; expect to negotiate.