I have about 710 silver dimes that were left to my family.  I’m not sure of the exact weight, but they are all 1964 and previous years, so I think the weight of silver in them is around 51.333 troy ounces.  Where can I sell silver dimes for more than the face value? Thanks! From Anthony in Fort Smith, Arkansas

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for your inquiry. US dimes minted 1964 and earlier are often called “junk silver” as they have silver value but little to no numismatic or collection value. Because they have a high percentage of silver content, they can be sold and refined for much more than their face value of 10 cents. Below are examples of the type of dimes you described.

Dimes Image

As you can see the Mercury Dime and Roosevelt Dime have different designs. However, both contain the same amount of silver approximately 0.0723 troy ounces. Based on a silver price of $18 per troy ounce, each dime would be worth about $1.30.

Keep in mind however, that some of these coins may have been in circulation for almost 100 years. Many undoubtedly have experienced significant wear and often have a slight drop in silver weight, around 1-2 percent. The 0.0723 troy ounces of silver is from a coin in mint condition. That is why recommend actually weighing your coins before sending them in as we calculate the melt value based on the actual weight. We typically pay about 75% of the silver value to melt them and put them in a form that can be returned to the industry. Hope this information helps!