what coins are silver what year

[KhloeRose]

Ah, looking to go on a treasure hunt through your piggy bank, are we? Excellent! Knowing which coins are silver is like having a secret map. Let's decode it for you.

The big, easy rule of thumb for the most common coins is to check the date. For dimes, quarters, and half dollars, the magic year is 1964. If you find one of these coins dated 1964 or any year before that, you've struck 90% silver. After that year, Uncle Sam decided to pinch his pennies (or rather, his silver) and switched to cheaper metals.

Now, for the fun exceptions. The government didn't quit silver cold turkey. Kennedy Half Dollars from 1965 to 1970 are still 40% silver, making them the slightly less glamorous cousins of the pre-1964 coins.

Then there are the "War Nickels." During World War II, from 1942 to 1945, nickel was needed for the war effort, so the U.S. Mint swapped it out for a 35% silver alloy. These are the only nickels that contain any silver.

And of course, we can't forget the heavy hitters. Those big, beautiful silver dollars are 90% silver if they're dated 1935 or earlier. So, if you happen to find one of those in grandma's old cookie jar, you've found a real prize. Happy hunting