What are the silver contents and melt values for Roosevelt dimes and Walking Liberty dimes?
Executive summary
Two distinct facts dominate any practical answer: pre‑1965 Roosevelt dimes are 90% silver and each contains about 0.0723–0.07234 troy ounces of pure silver (≈2.50 grams), so their melt value is simply that silver weight multiplied by the live silver spot price (sources: Coinflation/NGC/stack’s/ Coin resources) [1][2][3]. “Walking Liberty” is most commonly the name for the half‑dollar series (1916–1947), and those half dollars contain about 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver each; their melt value is likewise 0.3617 × current spot price [4][5].
1. Roosevelt dimes: composition, silver content and how to calculate melt value
Roosevelt dimes struck 1946–1964 were struck in a 90% silver / 10% copper alloy and weigh roughly 2.50 grams, meaning each coin contains about 0.07234 troy ounces of pure silver; that is the figure used by coin melt calculators and market references [2][1][6]. The standard market method to get a melt value is to multiply that pure‑silver ounce content by the prevailing silver spot price, so for example many coin guides show the calculation 0.07234 oz × spot = melt value [7][3]. Industry calculators and price pages (NGC, Coinflation, junk‑silver calculators) update these values daily so circulated common‑date Roosevelt dimes generally trade at or near that calculated metal value unless a numismatic premium applies [8][9][3].
2. Which Roosevelt dimes are silver and which are not
The silver Roosevelt dimes are confined to the pre‑1965 series; Roosevelt dimes minted after 1964 are copper‑nickel clad and contain no silver, a distinction repeatedly emphasized by melt‑value resources and junk‑silver guides [3][10]. Reference sites and bullion dealers treat 1946–1964 issues as “junk silver” for melt calculations and reserve separate numismatic pricing for specimens with collector value — the melt rule applies to typical circulated coins [7][10].
3. “Walking Liberty dimes” vs. Walking Liberty half dollars — a naming and content clarification
A crucial naming caveat: “Walking Liberty” most commonly refers to the half‑dollar series (1916–1947) designed by Adolph Weinman, whereas the dime predecessor to the Roosevelt dime is the Winged Liberty Head or “Mercury” dime (1916–1945); both mercury dimes and Roosevelt dimes share the same 90% silver composition and virtually identical silver weight per dime (around 0.07234 troy oz) [11][1]. Many sources conflate these popular names, so accuracy requires checking denomination: if the reference is to a Walking Liberty half dollar, that coin contains about 0.3617 troy ounces of silver, not 0.0723 [4][5].
4. Walking Liberty half dollars: silver content and melt‑value formula
The Walking Liberty half dollar (1916–1947) contains 90% silver and about 0.36169–0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver per coin (weight ~12.5 grams), and standard practice is to calculate its melt value as 0.3617 × current spot price — for instance, at $25/oz that would be roughly $9.04 per coin according to live calculators and bullion price pages [12][5]. As with dimes, most common Walking Liberty halves trade on metal value unless a particular date/mintmark/grade carries a collector premium [5][13].
5. Practical examples, rounding and per‑dollar considerations
Practical dealer pages and calculators round the dime silver content slightly differently (0.0723 or 0.07234 oz) but the method is the same: multiply that figure by the live spot price and allow for dealer spreads or premiums if buying/selling as bullion [3][7]. For bulk “junk silver” math, many dealers quote that pre‑1965 coins equate to roughly 0.715 troy ounces of silver per $1 face value of mixed dimes/quarters/halves — a helpful shorthand for larger lots [14][15].
6. Caveats, numismatic premiums and sources of live pricing
All melt‑value statements here reflect the intrinsic silver only; many reference sites (Coinflation, NGC, Coinapps, bullion dealers) warn that rare dates, proofs or high‑grade coins may command numismatic premiums well above melt value, and that live price feeds/spot quotes should be used at the time of any transaction [8][9][16]. The reporting used here is drawn from coin melt calculators, dealer pages and reference guides that explicitly state silver percentages, troy‑ounce contents, and the simple multiplication method for melt value [1][2][12]. If a specific coin’s mintmark, year or grade is in question, those factors must be checked against numismatic price guides because they can overwhelm the metal value.