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Face value in pre-1965 dimes, quarters, or half dollars -> melt value at the live silver spot price.
Melt value only -- what the silver content alone is worth. Sellers typically price junk silver bags at a modest premium above melt to cover sorting, shipping, and their own margin. See real listings on the Junk Silver value chart.
Before 1965, U.S. dimes, quarters, and half dollars were struck in 90% silver at fixed legal weights. Any combination of coins adding up to $1 of face value contains almost exactly the same silver -- about 0.7234 troy oz -- which is why dealers trade "junk silver" by face value instead of sorting and grading every coin.
| Coin | Gross weight | Silver content | Melt today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dime (Mercury / Roosevelt) (pre-1965) | 2.50 g | 0.07234 troy oz | — |
| Quarter (Washington) (pre-1965) | 6.25 g | 0.18084 troy oz | — |
| Half Dollar (Walking Liberty / Franklin / Kennedy) (pre-1965) | 12.50 g | 0.36169 troy oz | — |
Not included: 1942-45 "war" nickels (35% silver) and 1965-70 Kennedy half dollars (40% silver) -- both real silver, but they trade separately from 90% bags and don't fit the face-value math above.
Live listings of 90% silver coinage from verified sellers -- compare real asks against the melt value above.
Guides and live pages that go deeper than the calculator.
About the junk silver bag calculator
U.S. dimes, quarters, and half dollars dated 1964 or earlier -- Mercury and Roosevelt dimes, Washington quarters, and Walking Liberty, Franklin, and 1964 Kennedy halves. They were all struck in 90% silver at fixed legal weights, which is what makes the face-value math work. Wartime nickels (1942-45) are only 35% silver and 1965-70 Kennedy halves are 40%, so neither belongs in a 90% bag calculation.
It's arithmetic, not an estimate. A 90% silver dime contains 0.07234 troy oz of silver, a quarter 0.18084 oz, and a half dollar 0.36169 oz -- work through any combination adding up to $1 of face value and it always totals about 0.7234 oz. That consistency is why dealers price junk silver by face value instead of counting individual coins.
Slightly -- decades of circulation wear does remove a little metal, which is why some dealers quote heavily-worn bags at 0.715 oz per $1 instead of the 0.7234 mint-spec figure. The difference is about 1%, and bags still trade by face value either way.
Usually close to it, sometimes above it. Junk silver is one of the few forms of silver that can trade near -- or in tight markets, above -- its melt value, because the coins are instantly recognizable and divisible. Compare real asks from sellers on the marketplace rather than assuming a fixed discount.
The prices real buyers and sellers agree on are the ones that matter. Compare live listings from verified sellers -- every premium visible against the same spot price this tool uses.
