How many troy ounces of silver are in a roll and a bag of pre‑1965 dimes?
Executive summary
Pre‑1965 U.S. dimes are 90% silver and contain about 0.07234 troy ounces of pure silver per coin if calculated from the mint‑spec weight, but the bullion/coin‑dealer industry commonly values circulated dimes using a rounded convention of 0.0715 oz per dime (0.715 oz per $1 face) to reflect circulation wear and standard packaging practices [1] [2] [3]. That divergence produces two widely used answers: a standard $5 roll contains roughly 3.575 troy ounces by dealer convention or ~3.617 troy ounces by strict mint weight; a $1,000‑face bag contains about 715 troy ounces by convention or ~723.4 troy ounces by straight coin‑weight math [4] [1] [5].
1. The coin‑level math: what a single pre‑1965 dime actually contains
Each pre‑1965 dime weighs 2.50 grams and is struck in 90% silver (the remainder copper), which yields 2.25 grams of pure silver per coin; converting grams to troy ounces (1 troy ounce = 31.1034768 g) gives ~0.07234 troy ounces of silver per dime, the figure derived from pure physical weight and cited by several mint‑weight calculations [1] [6] [7].
2. The dealer convention: why many sellers quote 0.0715 oz per dime
Coin dealers and many bullion listings use a practical industry standard that ten dimes ($1 face) equal 0.715 troy ounces of silver—i.e., 0.0715 oz per dime—because circulated coins lose minute metal to wear and because it simplifies bulk pricing and packaging; that convention is ubiquitous in listings for rolls, $250 and $1,000 face bags and is explicitly stated by multiple sellers [2] [8] [5].
3. How that math translates to a roll of dimes
A standard bank roll of dimes is $5 face value (50 dimes). Using the dealer convention (0.0715 oz per dime) a roll contains 3.575 troy ounces of silver (0.0715 × 50 = 3.575) and is the number most consumers will see on retail listings [4] [2]. Using the strict mint‑weight figure (0.07234 oz per dime) the same roll contains about 3.617 troy ounces (0.07234 × 50 ≈ 3.617), a modest but real difference that matters in large quantities or precise melt‑value math [1].
4. How that math translates to a bag of dimes
Bags are typically sold by face value: a $250 face bag (2,500 dimes) and a $1,000 face bag (10,000 dimes) are common. Applying the dealer convention yields approximately 178.75 troy ounces for a $250 bag and 715 troy ounces for a $1,000 bag (0.715 oz per $1 × bag face value) — figures shown in vendor listings [9] [5]. Applying the mint‑weight constant (0.07234 oz per coin, or 0.7234 oz per $1) gives ~181.85 oz for $250 and ~723.4 oz for $1,000, numbers also cited by dealers who use mint‑weight math rather than the circulation convention [1] [10].
5. Which number is “correct” for practical use and why both exist
Both answers are defensible: the mint‑weight figure (0.07234 oz per coin) is the physical truth based on original weight and composition [1] [6], while the 0.0715 per coin (0.715 per $1) is an industry convention reflecting circulated condition, ease of pricing, and long practice among bullion dealers [2] [8]. Purchasers and valuers should note which standard a seller uses because the difference compounds across rolls and especially across pallet‑scale bags [3] [5].
6. Bottom line — the practical numbers to use
For everyday retail and most dealer listings: a $5 roll ≈ 3.575 troy oz and a $1,000‑face bag ≈ 715 troy oz (dealer convention) [4] [5]. For strict melt calculations from original mint weights: a $5 roll ≈ 3.617 troy oz and a $1,000‑face bag ≈ 723.4 troy oz (mint‑weight math) [1] [10]. Where precision matters, confirm which standard the seller is using and whether coins are certified, circulated, or unusually worn [3] [1].