Enter your coin quantities below. Melt values update instantly using live silver spot prices refreshed every 60 seconds.
| Coin | ASW (oz t) | Qty | Melt Value |
|---|---|---|---|
|
90% Dime
Pre-1965 Roosevelt & Mercury
|
0.0723 | $0.00 | |
|
90% Quarter
Pre-1965 Washington
|
0.1808 | $0.00 | |
|
90% Half Dollar
Pre-1965 Franklin & Walking Liberty
|
0.3617 | $0.00 | |
|
90% Silver Dollar
Morgan & Peace
|
0.7734 | $0.00 | |
|
40% Kennedy Half
1965–1970
|
0.1479 | $0.00 | |
|
35% War Nickel
1942–1945
|
0.0563 | $0.00 |
Junk silver is a term used by precious metals investors to describe pre-1965 US coins that contain 90% silver. Despite the word "junk," these coins are far from worthless — the name simply means they have no significant numismatic or collector value beyond their raw silver content.
For stackers, junk silver is one of the most accessible and practical ways to own physical silver. The coins are widely recognized, easy to verify, divisible into small denominations, and trade at relatively low premiums over spot price compared to minted bullion products.
Not all "junk silver" coins contain the same amount of silver. Here's a complete reference of the actual silver weight (ASW) for each coin type:
| Coin | Years | Silver % | ASW (oz t) | ASW (grams) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt / Mercury Dime | Pre-1965 | 90% | 0.0723 | 2.25 |
| Washington Quarter | Pre-1965 | 90% | 0.1808 | 5.63 |
| Franklin / Walking Liberty Half | Pre-1965 | 90% | 0.3617 | 11.25 |
| Morgan / Peace Dollar | 1878–1935 | 90% | 0.7734 | 24.06 |
| Kennedy Half Dollar | 1965–1970 | 40% | 0.1479 | 4.60 |
| War Nickel | 1942–1945 | 35% | 0.0563 | 1.75 |
The formula for calculating the melt value of any junk silver coin is straightforward:
Melt Value = Spot Price ($/oz t) × ASW (oz t) × Quantity
For example, if silver spot is $32.00 per troy ounce and you have 50 pre-1965 Washington quarters:
$32.00 × 0.1808 oz t × 50 = $289.28
Our calculator above uses live spot prices that refresh every 60 seconds, so the values you see are always current.
A common shortcut in the junk silver community is the "face value multiplier." At any given spot price, you can calculate the melt value of a bag of 90% silver coins by multiplying the face value by a factor. This factor changes with spot price, which is why a live calculator like this one is more reliable than memorizing a fixed number.
Junk silver remains popular among precious metals investors for several practical reasons. The coins are instantly recognizable and easy to authenticate — everyone knows what a quarter looks like. They're naturally divisible into small amounts, making them useful for barter or incremental investment. And they typically trade at lower premiums over spot price compared to minted silver rounds or bars, meaning more silver for your dollar.
For investors building a position in physical silver, a mix of junk silver for divisibility and bullion bars or coins for bulk weight is a common strategy.