Junk silver melt value calculator
Type what you have by face value or by count. It works out the silver and what it melts for at the spot price you set. Nothing you type leaves this page.
| What you have | Amount | Melt |
|---|---|---|
| 90% dimes, quarters, halvesDated 1964 and earlier. Enter face value. | $0.00 | |
| 40% Kennedy halves1965 to 1970. Enter how many. | $0.00 | |
| War nickels1942 to 1945 with the big mint mark over Monticello. Enter how many. | $0.00 | |
| Morgan and Peace dollars1878 to 1935. Enter how many. | $0.00 | |
| Total | $0.00 |
How the math works
Melt value is the silver in the coin times the spot price. Junk silver is bought and sold by face value, so the 90% line takes dollars of face and multiplies by the ounces in one dollar of face.
| Coin | Silver oz |
|---|---|
| $1 face of 90% dimes, quarters or halves, worn | 0.715 |
| $1 face of 90%, full weight as minted | 0.7234 |
| One 40% Kennedy half, 1965 to 1970 | 0.1479 |
| One war nickel, 1942 to 1945 | 0.0563 |
| One Morgan or Peace dollar | 0.7734 |
Worn or full? A bag of circulated 90% has lost a little silver to wear, so most dealers price it at 0.715 ounces per dollar of face. Full weight is what the Mint struck. Use worn for a pile of circulated coins and full when you want the upper bound.
What is a fair offer? Shops buy under melt so they can sell at a premium. As a rough guide, an offer at 90% of melt or better is strong, 80% to 90% is typical, and under 80% is worth a second opinion. Premiums move with the market, so treat these as a starting point.
What counts as junk silver? Common date silver coins worth about their metal. Key dates, errors and nice uncirculated coins can be worth well over melt, so look before you sell a whole roll at melt.
Want to keep a running total?
The Junk Silver Calculator app logs every lot you buy, tracks your cost and grades offers on your phone with no signal. It comes with a matching Excel workbook.