How to know silver??

joann

How do you know if a coinis silver?? Can I use a postal machine to weigh it for grams??
Also, some coins have different silver content :such as: .500,.835,.900. Does that change the value of the coin??

Thanks for any help.

JoAnn

Russ

Clad coinage will have a copper edge to it, silver coinage won't. The two silver contents for US coins are 40% and 90%, and yes, the value will be different with the higher content being worth more.

Russ, NCNE

tjkillian

U.S. Dimes, half dollar, and quarters minted in 1964 or earlier have 90% silver, 10% copper

Half dollars minted between 1965 and 1969, inclusive, have 40% silver, 60% copper

Nickels made between 1942 and 1945, inclusive, are 35% silver. Some 1942 nickels have no silver, but you can tell if it is silver if it has a mintmark above the Monticello on the reverse.

Tom

joann

Thanks for your reply.

What about foreign coins - especially canadian coins. How to know if they are silver or not???

Thanks for your help.

Joann

Deadhorse

Canadian coins remained silver up to and including 1968.

However, they were not 90% silver as were US coins, but 80% silver instead.

For example, a 1968 or earlier Canadian half dollar contains .3 ounces of silver.

fivecents

<< <i>How do you know if a coinis silver?? >>

This is real old school...... drop a silver coin on a hard, flat and solid surface ,the silver coin will make a ringing sound, where clad or base metal coins won't.

19Lyds

<< <i>Half dollars minted between 1965 and 1969, inclusive, have 40% silver, 60% copper >>



The 1970 halves are also 40% Silver clad.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Deadhorse

<< <i>

<< <i>Half dollars minted between 1965 and 1969, inclusive, have 40% silver, 60% copper >>



The 1970 halves are also 40% Silver clad.

Just my 2 cents worth. >>




You are correct sir, it is a very common belief among even long time collectors that 1969 was the last year for silver clad half-dollars.

Perhaps it lies in the fact that there just aren't many 1970 Kennedy halfs anywhere. As I understand it, the only ones struck were the ones needed to fill the orders for mint sets and none were put into circulation.

Somebody correct me if I am wrong.

islemangu

This is real old school...... drop a silver coin on a hard, flat and solid surface ,the silver coin will make a ringing sound, where clad or base metal coins won't.

and don't forget on trade dollars the experts can just blow on them and tell

BigGreek

<< <i>Clad coinage will have a copper edge to it, silver coinage won't. The two silver contents for US coins are 40% and 90%, and yes, the value will be different with the higher content being worth more. Russ, NCNE >>



War Nickles are 35% silver..

cladking

In time you'll learn to spot the texture and color of silver. Your best bet in the
mean time is to get a Krause world coin catalog and just start learning which
are which. It's not as hard as it sounds since there are obvious patterns with
most countries and similarities from one to another. After a while you'll even start
to learn the actual weights of many coins.

Deadhorse

Dang, and here I was going to go out in the garage and drop a BU 78 CC Morgan on the concrete floor just to check it out.

Now you want people to do book learning?