how much silver in canadian dimes

[KevinRose]

The silver content of Canadian dimes is contingent upon their year of mintage, as the composition has changed significantly throughout the coin's history. Modern Canadian dimes contain no silver.

Historically, the earliest Canadian dimes, minted from 1858 to 1919, were composed of sterling silver, which is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Following this period, from 1920 until 1967, the composition was altered to 80% silver and 20% copper. These dimes weighed 2.33 grams and contained 0.0600 troy ounces of pure silver.

A transitionary period occurred between 1967 and 1968. In 1967, dimes were minted with two different compositions: the established 80% silver and a new, reduced 50% silver alloy. In 1968, minting began with the 50% silver composition, which contained 0.0375 troy ounces of silver per coin. However, this was short-lived, as the composition was changed mid-year to 99.9% nickel.

From mid-1968 onwards, Canadian dimes ceased to contain any silver. Subsequent compositions have included 99.9% nickel and, since 2000, multi-ply plated steel. Therefore, to determine the amount of silver in a Canadian dime, one must identify its specific year of issue, as the content ranges from 92.5% in early examples to a complete absence of the precious metal in contemporary coins.