Pre-1965 Silver Quarters (Junk Silver)

Specifications

Denomination: 25 cents
Series: Washington Quarters
Designer: John Flanagan
Years of issue: 1932–1964
Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
Weight: 6.25 g
Diameter: 24.3 mm
Edge: Reeded
Key mintages: Key dates: 1932-D at 436,800 and 1932-S at 408,000 — the only circulation strikes in the series under one million (CoinWeek; Heritage Auctions).

Melt value: $11.66silver $64.40/ozt, copper $0.44/ozt · prices as of Sep 16, 2026

Brandon Grossardt / Wikimedia Commons (public domain); coin design by John Flanagan

90% silver quarters dated 1964 and earlier are worth their silver content — check the date, the solid-silver edge, and the 6.25 g weight.

History

From the Washington quarter's debut in 1932 through 1964, U.S. quarters were struck in 90% silver and 10% copper. The Coinage Act of 1965, signed July 23, 1965, eliminated silver from circulating dimes and quarters after rising silver prices made the metal in the coins worth nearly their face value and hoarding stripped them from circulation (Wikipedia; washingtonquarters.org).
Each silver Washington quarter weighs 6.25 grams and contains 0.18085 troy ounces of pure silver — its melt value moves directly with the silver spot price, which is why worn common-date examples are called 'junk silver' despite being worth many times face value (Heritage Auctions; bullionhunters.com).
Identify them by three checks: a date of 1964 or earlier, a solid silver-colored edge with no copper band, and a weight of 6.25 grams versus 5.67 grams for clad (bullionhunters.com).
The series keys are the 1932-D (436,800 struck) and 1932-S (408,000 struck) — the only circulation strikes in the series under one million — which carry large numismatic premiums in all grades; other dates such as the 1936-D and 1937-S are prized as condition rarities in top mint-state grades (CoinWeek; Heritage Auctions; Numismatic News).

Melt value per coin is 0.18085 oz of silver at the current spot price — that is the floor for even the most worn example (Heritage Auctions).
Key dates 1932-D and 1932-S are the series' only sub-million-mintage circulation strikes, so they command premiums far above melt even in low grades (CoinWeek; Heritage Auctions).

Each silver Washington quarter contains 0.18085 troy ounces of pure silver — its melt value moves directly with the silver spot price (Heritage Auctions; bullionhunters.com)
The series keys are the 1932-D (436,800 struck) and 1932-S (408,000 struck) — the only circulation strikes in the series under one million — which carry large numismatic premiums in all grades; other dates such as the 1936-D and 1937-S are prized as condition rarities in top mint-state grades (CoinWeek; Heritage Auctions; Numismatic News)

Identify them by three checks: a date of 1964 or earlier, a solid silver-colored edge with no copper band, and a weight of 6.25 grams versus 5.67 grams for clad (bullionhunters.com).

Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper (Heritage Auctions)
Weight: 6.25 g (Heritage Auctions)
Diameter: 24.3 mm (washingtonquarters.org)
Edge: Reeded (Stacks Bowers)
Alignment: Not verified in consulted references
Designers: John Flanagan (Stacks Bowers)
Mint: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco — 1932 production began at all three mints (CoinWeek)

Heavily worn 'slick' coins have lost some metal to circulation, so their actual silver content runs slightly under the 0.18085 oz standard (general collector guidance).