Collecting and Hobby Calculators

Junk silver melt value.

Type in today's silver spot price and how many of each US silver coin you have. The calculator returns the pure silver in troy ounces and the melt value, or works from the face value of a bag of 90% coins. Runs in your browser; nothing is fetched.

Spot price and coins

Silver spot price (per troy ounce) Enter today's spot from your dealer or a market-data site. The 30 shown is only an example.

Payout as a percent of melt (optional)

Dealers usually pay less than melt. Leave at 100 to see pure melt value.

Or: face value of 90% silver coins

Dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 and earlier. If filled in, this replaces the counts below.

Dime, 1964 and earlier (90% silver)

Quarter, 1964 and earlier (90% silver)

Half dollar, Franklin or 1964 Kennedy (90% silver)

Kennedy half dollar, 1965-1970 (40% silver)

Morgan silver dollar (90% silver)

Eisenhower dollar, 40% silver collector issue

Jefferson wartime nickel, 1942-1945 (35% silver)

American Silver Eagle (1 troy oz fine silver)

Melt value

Fill the form and press Calculate.

Answer

Each 90% silver dime holds about 0.0723 troy ounces of pure silver and each 90% quarter about 0.1808. Multiply the troy ounces by the silver spot price you enter to get melt value. A dollar of face value in 90% dimes, quarters or half dollars holds about 0.7234 troy ounces.

Worked example

Spot price $30.00 per troy ounce (an example, not a quote). 10 dimes: 10 x 2.5 g x 0.90 = 22.5 g = 0.7234 oz. 4 quarters: 4 x 6.25 g x 0.90 = 22.5 g = 0.7234 oz. Total 1.4468 oz of silver x $30.00 = $43.40 melt value on $2.00 of face value.

How it works

Pure silver = coin mass x silver fraction / 31.1034768 g per troy ounce. Masses and compositions: 90% dime 2.5 g, 90% quarter 6.25 g, Franklin and 1964 Kennedy half dollars 12.5 g (90%), Kennedy half dollars 1965 to 1970 11.5 g (40%), Morgan dollar 26.73 g (90%), 40% silver Eisenhower collector dollar 24.59 g, Jefferson wartime nickel 5.000 g (35% silver, 1942 to 1945), American Silver Eagle one troy ounce of fine silver.

What this is not. Melt value is the metal in the coin at the spot price you typed. Dealers pay a percentage of it and sell at a premium, and coins with numismatic value are worth more than melt. Weights are the original specifications, so worn coins hold slightly less. Silver Eagles are counted as one troy ounce of fine silver each.

Sources and basis (checked 2026-10-05): Wikipedia, Roosevelt dime; Wikipedia, Washington quarter; Wikipedia, Franklin half dollar; Wikipedia, Kennedy half dollar; Wikipedia, Morgan dollar; Wikipedia, Eisenhower dollar; Wikipedia, Jefferson nickel; Wikipedia, Troy weight (31.1034768 g per troy ounce).

FAQ

How much silver is in a junk silver dime?

A 90% silver dime weighs 2.5 g and holds 2.25 g of silver, about 0.0723 troy ounces.

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

About 0.7234 troy ounces for 90% dimes, quarters or half dollars, because all three carry the same 90% silver per dollar of face value.

Are 1965 to 1970 Kennedy half dollars silver?

They are 40% silver clad, 11.5 g, about 0.1479 troy ounces of silver. Kennedy half dollars dated 1964 are 90% silver.

Is melt value what a dealer will pay?

No. Dealers pay a percentage of melt that varies with the dealer, the quantity and the market. Use the payout field to model an offer.

Which coins are not covered?

Coins whose specification this page does not list, for example Canadian silver coins or other pre-1965 designs. Check a coin's mass and fineness before adding it.

Disclaimer

Informational arithmetic only, not investment, tax or appraisal advice. Spot prices change constantly and are entered by you. Confirm coin specifications and dealer offers before buying or selling.