U.S. Silver Hunter’s Guide
Calculate live melt values for Morgan dollars, Peace dollars, 90% constitutional silver, 40% Kennedy halves, and silver war nickels. Then check the hunter’s radar before selling anything for melt.
Live Silver Melt Calculator
Enter the current silver spot price per troy ounce. The calculator updates estimated melt values for common U.S. silver coin types using each coin’s approximate actual silver weight.
The Hunter’s Radar
Do not automatically sell these for melt. Better dates, scarce mintmarks, varieties, and high-grade examples may carry numismatic premiums far above silver value.
Morgan Dollars
- 1893-S: The king of Morgan dollars.
- 1889-CC: High-demand Carson City key.
- 1895: Proof-only Philadelphia issue.
- 1894: Low-mintage Philadelphia date.
- 1896-S / 1903-S: Better-date San Francisco issues.
Walking Liberty & Kennedy
- 1921-S Walker: Major key date.
- 1921-D Walker: Low-mintage issue.
- 1916 Walkers: First-year type coins.
- 1938-D Walker: Popular semi-key.
- 1970-D Kennedy: Mint-set-only 40% silver issue.
Mercury & Roosevelt Dimes
- 1916-D Mercury: The ultimate dime key.
- 1921 Mercury: Better Philadelphia date.
- 1921-D Mercury: Scarce Denver issue.
- 1926-S Mercury: Popular semi-key.
- 1996-W Roosevelt: Special West Point issue.
U.S. Silver Coin Melt Values
Use this table as a fast melt-value reference. These are bullion estimates only and do not account for rare dates, grades, varieties, toning, slabs, or collector demand.
| Coin Type | Year Range | Silver Content | ASW | Melt Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90% Silver Dollars | ||||
| Morgan / Peace Dollar | 1878–1935 | 90% | 0.7734 oz | $0.00 |
| 90% Constitutional Silver | ||||
| 90% Silver Half Dollar | 1892–1964 | 90% | 0.3617 oz | $0.00 |
| 90% Washington Quarter | 1932–1964 | 90% | 0.1808 oz | $0.00 |
| 90% Silver Dime | 1892–1964 | 90% | 0.0723 oz | $0.00 |
| 40% Silver & War Nickels | ||||
| Kennedy Half Dollar | 1965–1970 | 40% | 0.1479 oz | $0.00 |
| Jefferson War Nickel | 1942–1945 | 35% | 0.0563 oz | $0.00 |
How to Hunt U.S. Silver
Silver hunting is part bullion math, part numismatic research. Melt value gives you the floor, but date, mintmark, condition, and collector demand can change the whole picture.
- Check every date and mintmark before selling for melt.
- Separate common silver from better dates and high-grade coins.
- Watch for Carson City Morgan dollars and key-date Mercury dimes.
- Do not clean coins. Original surfaces matter.
- Use melt value as a baseline, not the final price.
Collector-First Note
NumisMaverick is collector-first. We use melt-value tools to understand metal exposure, but coins are also history, condition, scarcity, and market behavior.
For coin buying, selling, or research questions, contact: NumisMaverick@protonmail.com.
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