Did you inherit your grandfather's buffalo nickel? What about a silver dollar collection? Rare quarters or Canadian silver dollar or French franc? If so, do you want to sell silver coins?
As of 9 a.m. ET on October 8, 2024, Silver’s price was was $31.20 per ounce, which is slightly lower than the day before but still up a whopping 30.40% since the beginning of the year.1
- Start with learning about the value of your silver coins
- Determine if your coin is worth its weight in scrap metal, or is a collectible.
How to understand what your silver coins are worth
How much is a silver dollar worth?
Value of common U.S. minted silver coins
- How much is a half dollar worth?
- What 50-cent pieces are valuable
- Kennedy half dollars
- Silver dimes
- Silver quarters
- Silver pennies
How to sell silver coins
Take a few steps to ensure that you understand your coin, and get the highest price in cash:
1. Start with learning about the value of your silver coins
Spend some time researching the value of your silver coin by way of Google. Read about the history and collectibility of your coin, and reference the annually updated coin bible: A Guide Book of US Coins 2024. Get feedback from a coin buyer or collector.
2. Determine if your coin is worth its weight in scrap metal, or is a collectible.
Keep reading for more details. If your coin is worth scrap, you
For scrap or junk silver coins:
- Determine the weight of the coin and understand the day's price of silver.
As of , the silver resale value in the United States was at $ per ounce, or $ per gram.
2. Local metals buyer, some jewelry stores, pawn brokers, and online metals buyers will happily pay cash for your silver scrap.
Regardless of where you shop, try to get multiple offers and negotiate.
For rare and collectible coins:
If you can take your coin around locally, a pawn shop, antique dealer, coin dealer, or gold and silver buyer can give you a quote for how much they'd pay for your silver coins. Some local or online auctions may be interested.
The upside to selling your coins locally is that you get cash immediately. A quality pawn broker can be a good way to get a fair price, and get cash-in-hand immediately.
How to understand what your silver coins are worth
The value of a silver coin is dependent on its rarity, grade, and how desirable it is as a collectible. If it is not worth much as a collectible, then its value is based on its silver content.
This value can be significantly higher than the coin’s face value, depending on the current price of silver.
For example, a 1942 dime has a face value of 10 cents. Its silver content is worth approximately $1.95, however, when silver is at a price of $27.15 per ounce (August 2024 pricing). That said, an uncirculated 1942 dime could be worth $7.75, for those with an “S” mintmark — and more than $2,000 for rare Mercury dimes.
What are 90% silver coins worth?
Dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollars minted in the U.S. in 1964 or before will contain 90% silver by weight, with the remaining 10% coming from copper. These coins are also known as “constitutional silver” or “junk silver.” Those same coins minted later do not contain 90% silver.
Here’s an estimate of the melt value:
- Weigh your coin (in grams).
- Multiply that weight by .9 (since only 90% of the weight is silver). This number is how much silver, in grams, your coin contains.
- Find the spot price for a gram of silver.
- Multiply the number from Step 2 by the number in Step 3 and you'll have the value of your silver coin.
As of , the silver resale value in the United States was at $ per ounce, or $ per gram.
That said, if your silver coins are rare, old, or otherwise have value as a collector's item, your coin collection may be worth more than you would get simply by melting it down for its silver content. There are many numismatic (coin collecting) websites where you can search for the value of your coin to determine if it has any collector's value.
This video offers more detail about the value of 90% silver coins:
How much is a silver dollar worth?
Silver dollars will often sell to collectors for at least $20 a piece. Rarer silver dollars can sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars, with exceptionally rare specimens going for millions.
As a general rule of thumb, any silver dollar minted before 1965 will contain 90% silver, or about 0.7735 troy ounces of silver. The weight varies slightly by coin, but they are close. At the current price of silver (August 2024: $27.15) that means that the silver content of these silver dollar coins is worth about $21.
Silver dollars that are at least 90% silver include:
- Flowing Hair Silver Dollar (1794-1795)
- Draped Bust Silver Dollar (1795-1804)
- Gobrecht Silver Dollar (1836-1839)
- Seated Liberty Silver Dollar (1840-1873)
- Silver Trade Dollar (1873-1885)
- Morgan Silver Dollar (1878-1921)
- Peace Silver Dollar (1921-1935, 1964)
Additionally, the “American Silver Eagle” bullion coin minted from 1986-present contains 1 troy ounce of .999 silver, making it the silver dollar with the highest percentage of silver. Currently, these coins are worth about $27.15 per ounce as of August 2024.
“Eisenhower” Silver Dollars (1971-1978) and “Susan B Anthony” Silver Dollars (1979-1999) do not contain any silver, but can hold value to collectors.
Value of common U.S. minted silver coins
How much is a half dollar worth?
Kennedy half dollars are the most common of this type of silver coin, though Franklin and Liberty half dollars are also common. These are worth between a few dollars, up to prices in the six-figures for very rare Kennedy coins.
What 50-cent pieces are valuable
Any U.S. half-dollar piece minted before 1965 will contain 90% silver. This increases their value to be higher than their face value of 50 cents.
Each of the coins below contain about 0.36169 ounces of silver. At the current price of silver ($27.15 per ounce as of August 8, 2024) that means that the silver content of these 50 cent pieces is worth about $9.82. The list of 50 cent pieces that are 90% silver include:
- Barber/Liberty Head half dollars, minted between 1892-1916. Barber Head half dollars coins often sell for around $10 but can reach prices of $500 or more.
- Walking Liberty half dollars, minted between 1916–1947. Walking Liberty half dollars often sell for about $10 but have been known to reach $1,000+.
- Franklin half dollars, minted between 1948–1963. Franklin half dollars typically do not sell for less than $10 a piece, and valuable coins can go for thousands.
- Kennedy half dollars minted in 1964. 1964 Kennedy half dollars are worth at least $10 a piece and can sometimes sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars if they are in good enough condition.
Kennedy half dollars minted from 1965 through 1970 are 40% silver.
Kennedy half dollars
Rare or otherwise desired Kennedy half dollars can fetch a significant amount of money from collectors. As recently as 2019, for example, a particularly rare 1964 Kennedy half dollar sold for $108,000 at public auction.
For Kennedy half dollars without collector's value, the value of your coin will depend on when it was minted, as the silver content of these coins varies by year.
Kennedy half dollars contain roughly 0.36169 ounces of silver. At the current price of silver ($27.15 per ounce as of August 8, 2024) that means that the silver in a 1964 Kennedy half dollar is worth about $10.97.
Kennedy half dollars minted between 1965 and 1970 contain 40% silver — significantly less, but still worth salvaging. These coins contain roughly 0.1479 ounces of silver and are worth about $4.48 just due to its silver content.
Any Kennedy half dollar minted from 1971 onward does not contain any silver.
Silver dimes
Silver dimes from 1964 contain about 90% pure silver, or about 0.0723 troy ounces of silver. To calculate the silver value of one of these dimes, you can multiply 0.0723 by the current price of silver.
As of , the silver resale value in the United States was at $ per ounce, or $ per gram.
Common silver dimes and their values:
- Mercury dime value – .07234 times current silver price
- Roosevelt dime value – .07234 times current silver price
Modern silver dimes (from 1965 onward) are not made of silver but a low-value metal alloy coated in silver.
Silver quarters
Silver quarters issued in 1964 and earlier contain about 0.1808 ounces of silver, which means the silver quarter value is 0.1808 times the current silver price.
Silver pennies
Silver pennies, which were minted in 1943, are actually made of steel coated in zinc, so they do not have silver penny value based on their silver content. These coins are fairly common, so their value as a collector's item is minimal.
Collectible silver coins
Collectible silver coins, especially those with historic value, may be worth more in their current state. If you believe that you may have a valuable silver coin, a coin shop or appraiser can help you understand the value of your coin before you sell it.
More on selling coin collections here.
These are some common silver coins in the United States and their value based on current silver prices as of October 9, 2024:
| Morgan Dollars | $24.20 |
| Peace Dollars | $24.20 |
| Liberty Head (Barber) Half-Dollars | $11.31 |
| Walking Liberty Half-Dollars | $11.31 |
| Franklin Half-Dollars | $11.31 |
| Kennedy Half-Dollars | $11.31 |
| Liberty Head (Barber) Quarters | $5.66 |
| Standing Liberty Quarters | $5.66 |
| Washington Quarters | $5.66 |
| Liberty Head (Barber) Dimes | $2.25 |
| Winged Liberty Head (Mercury) Dimes | $2.25 |
Any silver coin minted before 1965 contains a significant amount of silver and holds an intrinsic value due to that silver content.
The following coins contain a large amount of silver by content:
- Morgan Dollars (90% silver)
- Peace Dollars (90% silver)
- Flowing Hair Silver Dollars (90% silver)
- Draped Bust Silver Dollars (90% silver)
- Gobrecht Silver Dollars (90% silver)
- Seated Liberty Silver Dollars (90% silver)
- Silver Trade Dollars (90% silver)
- Barber/Liberty Head Half Dollars (90% silver)
- Walking Liberty Half Dollars (90% silver)
- Franklin Half Dollars (90% silver)
- 1964 Kennedy Half Dollars (90% silver)
- 1965-1970 Kennedy Half Dollars (40% silver)
- Liberty Head/Barber Quarters (90% silver)
- Standing Liberty Quarters (90% silver)
- 1932, 1934-1964 Washington Quarters (90% silver)
- Liberty Head/Barber Dimes (90% silver)
- Winged Liberty Head/Mercury Dimes (90% silver)
- 1946-1964 Roosevelt Dimes (90% silver)
How much is a buffalo head nickel worth?
Buffalo Nickels were first minted in 1913, and were replaced by the current design in 1938. Buffalo coins have some unusual and interesting anomalies, including some with three-legged buffalos, a notable lack of mint date and varying designs that are often forged and also add much value:
- 1913-S Type 2
- 1916/16 (doubled die variety)
- 1918-D 8 over 7 (doubled die variety)
- 1921-S
- 1924-S
- 1926-S
- 1937-D Three legged Buffalo
Buffalo nickels can fetch dozens to tens of thousands of dollars.
Where to sell silver coins
If you have collectible or rare silver coins, a local coin dealer, antique store, jeweler or pawnshop can be a good fit, as well as a reputable online silver buyer.
Where to sell silver coins locally
If you are searching for places to “sell silver coins near me,” you’ll probably get a list of local coin dealers, pawn shops, and gold and silver buyers:
You can also search the Professional Coin Grading Service directory of authorized coin dealers to find a reputable person to buy coins worth money.
Where to sell silver coins online
There are many options for selling silver coins online, including some quality silver buyers. This post reviews the most popular online silver buyers, though our No. 1 recommendation is CashforSilverUSA because of its A+ BBB rating, high-quality customer service, very fast service, and reliable shipping and insurance.
Selling silver coins FAQs
Are silver coins worth selling?
If you have silver coins and need the money, it is always a good time to sell. Today, now that silver prices are high, it is a more universally good time to sell silver coins, though analysts expect silver prices to go up in the next couple years.
Who buys silver coins?
If you have found that your coin is indeed collectible seek out a dealer, collector, or auction house to maximize your profits, though a local pawnshop can also give you a fair price.
Silver coins worth their scrap, or junk, value can also be sold to pawn shops, silver exchanges, and silver buyers, each of which will give you cash in exchange for your coins (based on the weight of the coin) and then proceed to melt them down.
Is this a good time to sell silver coins?
The value of collectible silver coins often fluctuates with the price of silver, which has been high recently.
As of , the silver resale value in the United States was at $ per ounce, or $ per gram.
What is considered junk silver?
Junk silver is the same as scrap silver: a term used to describe a silver coin that has no value as a collectible. Junk silver coins are worth more than their face value due to their silver content, but do not have any additional historical, collectors, or antique value. Junk silver coins are often melted down and sold.
Scrap silver with no collectible value is worth its silver content. To determine that value:
- Determine the silver content of the coin.
- Determine the weight of the coin (in ounces).
- Multiple that weight by the current price of silver (in ounces).
Learn more about the value of your scrap silver and how to sell it for the highest price.
Do banks buy silver coins?
Most banks will only give you the face value of whatever coins you turn in, regardless of their metal content. So, a silver nickel would be worth 5 cents, for example. .
Get started selling your silver coins for cash within 24 hours with CashforSilverUSA now >>
Coin machines and more: 9 ways to cash in coins in 2024
- “Silver price today: Silver is down 0.92%, trading at $31.20,” by Tony Dong and Farran Powell for USA TODAY, October 8, 2024. https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/investing/silver-price-10-08-2024/
Yes. The value of a silver coin is dependent on its rarity, grade, and how desirable it is as a collectible. If it is not worth much as a collectible, then its value is based on its silver content. This value can be significantly higher than the coin’s face value, depending on the current price of silver.
Silver dollars will often sell to collectors for at least $20 apiece. Rarer silver dollars can sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars, with exceptionally rare specimens going for millions.
Kennedy half dollars are the most common of this type of silver coin, though Franklin and Liberty half dollars are also common. These are worth between a few dollars, up to prices in the six-figures for very rare Kennedy.
Silver dimes from 1964 contain about 90% pure silver, or about 0.0723 troy ounces of silver. To calculate the silver value of one of these dimes, you can multiply 0.0723 by the current price of silver.
If you have silver coins and need the money, it is always a good time to sell. Today, now that silver prices are relatively high, is is a more universally good time to sell silver coins.
You can sell silver coins online. If your silver coin is a collector’s item, you can sell online through an online auction house, on ebay, or to a reputable coin dealer. However, if you want to sell silver coins online that aren’t worth more than their scrap metal value, you can sell them to a reputable online metals buyer.
Yes
Got 1804 silver dollar very nice nothing wore
Can you sell junk silver directly to a mint ?