us silver quarter dollar

[SilasRose]

United States quarter dollars minted in 1964 and earlier are notable for their silver content. These coins are composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, with each quarter containing 0.18084 troy ounces of pure silver. Due to this precious metal content, their value is primarily based on the spot price of silver rather than their 25-cent face value.

The transition away from silver coinage occurred with the Coinage Act of 1965. This legislation mandated the removal of silver from circulating quarters and dimes, replacing it with a copper-nickel clad composition. Consequently, any U.S. quarter dated 1965 or later is a clad coin and does not contain silver.

Several historical series of the quarter dollar feature this 90% silver composition, including the Barber quarter, the Standing Liberty quarter, and the Washington quarter. To identify a silver Washington quarter, the most crucial detail is the date. While the design continued after the change, only those dated 1964 or prior are made of 90% silver.