What are the exact total and fine silver weights (grams and troy ounces) for pre‑1965 U.S. dimes, quarters, half dollars, and common silver dollars?
Executive summary
Pre‑1965 circulating U.S. dimes, quarters and half dollars were struck in a 90% silver / 10% copper alloy and have well‑documented total and fine silver weights; common 90% silver dollars (Morgan and Peace) are heavier and contain substantially more silver per coin (and per dollar face value) than the smaller denominations [1] [2] [3]. The precise totals used by bullion dealers and collectors are: dime — 2.50 g total / 2.25 g fine (0.07231 ozt); quarter — 6.25 g total / 5.625 g fine (0.1808 ozt); half dollar — 12.50 g total / 11.25 g fine (0.3615 ozt); common silver dollar (Morgan/Peace) — 26.73 g total / 24.057 g fine (0.7734 ozt) [1] [4] [2].
1. Dime: small coin, exact silver content and troy‑ounce conversion
The standard pre‑1965 U.S. dime (Mercury and Roosevelt designs) has a total mass of 2.50 grams and was made at 90% silver, giving a fine silver weight of 2.25 grams; that converts to approximately 0.07231 troy ounces of pure silver per coin using the standard 31.1034768 g/troy‑oz conversion used by bullion references (2.25 g → ~0.07231 ozt) [1] [5].
2. Quarter: established total mass and fine silver amount
A pre‑1965 quarter (Barber, Standing Liberty, Washington) weighs 6.25 grams total and at 90% fineness contains 5.625 grams of pure silver, which equals roughly 0.1808 troy ounces of silver — a figure explicitly cited in dealer and reference material for Washington quarters and commonly used in melt‑value calculations [1].
3. Half dollar: double the quarter’s mass, double the silver
The classic 90% silver half dollar (Barber, Walking Liberty, Franklin up through 1964) carries a total weight of 12.50 grams; at 90% that is 11.25 grams of fine silver, equivalent to about 0.36154 troy ounces of pure silver per coin — the conventional weight used in “junk silver” math and bullion bag calculations [4] [5].
4. Common silver dollar (Morgan and Peace): the heavyweight of circulating silver coins
Morgan and Peace silver dollars, the commonly referenced pre‑1935/1928–1935 large dollars still traded as silver bullion, have a nominal total mass of 26.73 grams and, at 90% purity, contain 24.057 grams of fine silver; that equals approximately 0.7734 troy ounces of silver per dollar — the reason these dollars are excluded from standard “$1 face = 0.715 ozt” junk‑silver assumptions and treated separately by dealers [4] [2].
5. How dealers and investors summarize these numbers (and why bags differ)
Market shorthand treats pre‑1965 dimes/quarters/half‑dollars as “90% silver” or “junk silver,” with the industry often using per‑face‑value aggregates (for example a $1 face value mix averages about 0.715 ozt in trade due to denomination mixes and wear, while a Morgan/Peace dollar alone is ~0.7734 ozt) — bags sold as $1,000 face typically quote ~715 fine troy ounces because of mixed denominations and wear assumptions rather than the theoretical maximum [2] [5] [6].
6. Caveats, wear and numismatic premiums
These gram and troy‑ounce numbers reflect nominal mint specifications and are the basis for melt‑value calculations; real coins in circulation may have slightly less silver because of wear, and many individual coins carry numismatic premiums that can far exceed melt value — dealers sometimes promote near‑uncirculated 1964 coins for slightly higher silver content, and buyers should separate metal value from collectible value when pricing [7] [3].