are silver dollars still made of silver

[DiMichael]

The composition of United States dollar coins varies based on their intended purpose, distinguishing between coins meant for general circulation and those produced for collectors and investors. The U.S. Mint no longer produces dollar coins made of silver for general circulation. This practice ceased after 1935, and subsequent circulating dollar series, including the Eisenhower, Susan B. Anthony, Sacagawea, and Presidential dollars, are made from a copper-nickel clad composition over a copper core.

However, the U.S. Mint does continue to strike dollar coins that are made of silver. These are specifically created as bullion for investors or as numismatic items for collectors and are not intended for everyday transactions. The most prominent example is the American Silver Eagle, a bullion coin with a face value of one dollar that is composed of .999 fine silver.

Additionally, the Mint produces various modern commemorative dollars that are struck in silver, typically with a composition of 90% silver. Therefore, while the dollar coins one might encounter in daily commerce are not made of silver, the U.S. Mint actively produces silver dollars for the investment and collector markets.