photo by theophilusphotography on Flickr

A List Of All U.S. Silver Coins By Denomination + The Most Valuable Silver Coins (And How Much They’re Worth)

by Joshua

1943 Coins, Commemorative Coins, Dimes, Dollar Coins, Eagle Coins, Error Coins, Half Dollar Coins, Lincoln Cents, Nickels, Pennies, Pocket Change, Quarters, Rare Coins, Silver Coins, State Quarters, Walking Liberty Coins

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy thru these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.


A stack of old silver coins.

Do you have some silver U.S. coins and want to know how much they’re worth?

So many people have been asking me about the value of their silver pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollars!

In this article you will find:

  • A complete list of U.S. coins made of silver by denomination
  • A list of the most valuable silver coins by denomination
  • The dates that the metal composition changed for each U.S. coin denomination throughout the years

When it comes to determining the value of your silver coins, keep in mind, silver coin values are based on the following factors:

  • Precious metal content — how much silver a coin contains
  • Mintage number — how many of that coin were made
  • Number of survivors — how many of that coin still exist
  • Grade and overall state of preservation — the condition of the coin
  • Errors and/or varieties — whether there’s anything unusual about the coin
  • Overall demand — whether enough people collect this coin to drive up its numismatic (collectible) value

Silver Pennies (1943 and Other Years)

“Wait, there were silver pennies?” you might be asking.

Well, not really… At least not in the United States. But many people think they’ve found a silver penny! Here’s why:

Got any silver pennies? See why so many U.S. pennies look silver in color.

First, the 1943 steel Lincoln cent was made when the United States government was saving copper for the World War II ammunition — and it’s commonly mistaken as a 1943 silver penny.

Then, there are silver-looking pennies from other years that really aren’t made from silver.

Finally, there is a small number of rare Lincoln pennies that were accidentally struck on silver dime planchets — these are potentially worth thousands of dollars!

See what pennies are made of — and how the metal composition of U.S. pennies has changed through the years.

Find answers to your questions about silver pennies and the value of these coins here:

Silver Nickels (1942-1945)

See when U.S. silver nickels were made and how much they're worth.

The term “silver nickel” may sound like an oxymoron, but it isn’t. That’s because the the U.S. government rationed nickel for World War II artillery from 1942 through 1945.

To replace the nickel and to still give the five-cent coin its typical silvery-grey appearance, the government chose a composition made from 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese.

So… do you know how to tell a silver Jefferson nickel from a “regular” one — and which ones are worth keeping?

See what nickels are made of — and how the metal composition of U.S. nickels has changed through the years.

Answers to your questions about wartime nickels and their value can be found here:

Silver Dimes (1796-1964 and 1992-Present Proofs)

Lots of silver dimes worth money.

Silver dimes were minted for circulation from 1796 through 1964 and have been struck for collectors since 1992.

While the vast majority of silver dimes minted since around 1900 are categorically common, there are several rare dates worth hundreds, even thousands of dollars. And all silver dimes are worth more than face value due to their precious metal content. So, they’re definitely worth looking for!

Do you know which silver dimes are worth the big bucks?

See what dimes are made of — and how the metal composition of U.S. dimes has changed through the years.

Find answers to your questions about silver dimes and their value here:

Silver Quarters (1796-1964 and 1992-Present Proofs)

See which silver quarters are the most valuable!

The workhorse of the economy, U.S. quarters have been around 1796 — and those made for circulation were made of silver through 1964. After that, circulating quarters were struck from a copper-nickel clad.

Many quarters are scarce, and some are quite rare — worth thousands of dollars!

See what quarters are made of — and how the metal composition of U.S. quarters has changed through the years.

Answers to all of your questions about silver quarters and their current value can be found here:

Silver Half Dollars (1794-1970, 1976 and 1992-Present Proofs)

See which half dollar coins are worth a lot of money!

We don’t often see half dollars anymore, but they once were a major part of everyday commerce. And until 1971 they were made of silver!

While the concept of using a 50-cent coin as money is unfamiliar to many (because they aren’t commonly found in circulation and really haven’t been for several decades now), there are some rare and valuable silver half dollars out there worth looking for!

See what half dollars are made of — and how the metal composition of U.S. half dollars has changed through the years.

Find answers to your questions about silver half dollars and the value of these coins here:

Silver Dollars (1794-1935 and 1971-1976)

U.S. silver one dollar coins.

The largest of the circulating U.S. coinage in terms of physical diameter, the silver dollar was made from 1794 through 1935.

After a hiatus of 36 years, the United States Mint resumed production of the one-dollar coin by striking the copper-nickel clad Eisenhower dollar in 1971. The Mint also struck 40% silver Eisenhower dollars for coin collectors.

Along with Lincoln cents and Washington quarters, silver dollars are one of the most popular types of collectible coins — and many are quite rare and valuable!

See what dollar coins are made of — and how the metal composition of U.S. dollar coins has changed through the years.

Answers to your questions about silver dollars and their current value can be found here:

Other U.S. Silver Coins

See a complete list of all U.S. silver coins.

There’s a lot of talk about 1943 silver pennies, silver war nickels, and silver dollars among coin collectors. But what you may not hear much about are the many silver coins that are more obscure to the typical new collector.

Silver commemorative coins? What are those?

Well, let’s start with trimes and half dimes. Most newbies have never even heard of them, let alone know what they’re worth!

And American Silver Eagles… they might “sound” familiar to some new collectors, but few know how they are different from ordinary silver coins.

Here are some of the most valuable silver commemorative coins and their values:


Tips For Finding Silver Coins

Maybe you don’t have any silver coins in your collection yet but want to add some. Or, perhaps you already have some silver coins and want more! You can use these tips to score more for silver for your coin collection or bullion stack while doing so at less than full price.

#1 – Check your spare change.

It sounds simple enough, yet relatively few people really even think to look for silver in their pocket change this way. It’s probably because of the mistaken assumption that silver coins stopped circulating after the 1960s. It’s true that the United States Mint no longer minted silver coins for circulation after 1970, but many of these old silver coins continued circulating long after. Some can even be found today. You can score silver nickels, silver dimes, and silver quarters in daily circulation if you’re persistent… And lucky (of course). It therefore pays to keep a close eye on every coin that passes through your hands in pursuit of silver.

#2 – Look through bank rolls.

Many, many successful silver coin collectors check bank rolls. These can be obtained from banks or other financial institutions at face value and are fertile searching grounds for silver nickels, silver dimes, silver quarters, and even silver half dollars. One of the many advantages of looking through old bank rolls is that any unwanted coins can simply be returned to the bank to help pay for more rolls!

#3 – Shop at yard sales & estate sales.

You might be able to score some great silver coins at melt value or even less if you check out some of the local garage sales, estate sales, and swap meets happening in your community. Of course, you’ve got to be careful for counterfeits. But if you know what you’re searching for, are confident in how to spot fake coins, and are patient, you could find some great deals when you buy silver coins this way.

Like this post? Save it to read again later… or share with others on Pinterest!

All silver U.S. coins by denomination... and how much they're worth!

Get the latest Coin tips!

Stay up to date with everything about U.S Coins

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy