junk silver

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Junk silver From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Junk silver. From top left: Silver dimes in paper holders, a roll of dimes and a mixed-loose lot of half dollars, quarters, dimes and "wartime" nickels.

Junk silver is an informal term used in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada

and Australia for any silver coin which is in fair condition and has no numismatic or

collectible value above the bullion value of the silver it contains. Such coins are

popular among people seeking to invest in silver , particularly in small amounts. The

word "junk" refers only to the value of the coins as collectibles and not to the actual

condition of the coins; junk silver is not necessarily scrap silver.[1]

Precious metals including silver are measured in troyounces (ozt). A spot price for silver is the price for a troy ounce of silver which is 99.9-percent pure, or 999 fine.

Silver coins including junk-silver coins have set silver-alloy contents ranging from

35-percent to 90-percent or more. The term "coin silver," for example, refers to 90-

percent silver alloy which was the most common alloy used to mint silver U.S. coins.

Any combination of 90-percent silver U.S. coins which have a face value of US$1.00



contains 0.715 troy ounces of 99.9-percent silver (0.7234 troy ounces if uncirculated),

except for the silver dollars (Morgan and Peace) which contain .7736 troy ounces of

silver. In other words, a full troy ounce of 99.9-percent silver is contained in any

combination of 90-percent silver U.S. coins which have a face value of US$1.40.[2]

Contents[hide]

1

Common U.S.

coins

2

Common U.K.

coins

3 Other

countries

4

Popularity

5 Junk

copper

6 See

also

7

References

Common U.S. coins

The most commonly collected junk-silver U.S. coins were minted before 1965 and

include Morgan and Peace dollars; Liberty Head "Barber," Walking Liberty, Franklin

and Kennedy half dollars; Liberty Head "Barber," Standing Liberty and Washington

quarters; Liberty Head "Barber," Winged Liberty Head "Mercury" and Roosevelt

dimes; and Jefferson "Wartime" nickels.[3]

Dollars

Morgan (1878-1921) -- 90-percent silver

Peace (1921-1928 and 1934-1935) -- 90-percent silver

Half-Dollars

Liberty Head "Barber" (1892-1915) -- 90-percent silver



Walking Liberty (1916-1947) -- 90-percent silver

Franklin (1948-1963) -- 90-percent silver

Kennedy (1964) -- 90-percent silver

Kennedy (1965-1970) -- 40-percent silver

Quarters


Standing Liberty (1916-1930) -- 90-percent silver

Washington (1932, 1934-1964) -- 90-percent silver

Dimes


Winged Liberty Head "Mercury" (1916-1945) -- 90-percent silver

Roosevelt (1946-1964) -- 90-percent silver

Nickels

Jefferson "Wartime" (1942 (partial)-1945) -- 35-percent silver

Common U.K. coins

The most commonly collected junk-silver U.K. coins were minted before 1946 and

include Edward VII, George V and George VI crowns; as well as Victoria, Edward VII,

George V and George VI half crowns, florins, shillings, six pences, and three

pences.[3]

Crowns

Edward VII (1902) -- 92.5-percent silver

George V (1927-1936) -- 50-percent silver

George VI (1937) -- 50-percent silver

Half Crowns

Victoria (1837-1901) -- 92.5-percent silver

Edward VII (1902-1910) -- 92.5-percent silver

George V (1911-1919) -- 92.5-percent silver


George VI (1937-1946) -- 50-percent silver

Florins (2 Shillings)








Shillings






Six Pences






Three Pences

Victoria (1838-1901) -- 92.5-percent silver Edward VII (1902-1910) -- 92.5-percent silver




Other countries



Some Swedish coins with 80% silver content.

Canadian quarter and dime coins minted before 1967 contained 80-percent silver

with every CAD$1.00 face value containing .6 troy ounces of silver. In 1967, they

were minted in either 80-percent or 50-percent silver. In 1968, they were minted in

either 50-percent silver or 100-percent nickel. The 1968 nickel coins are magnetic

whereas the silver coins are not. Dollar and half-dollar coins contained 80-percent

silver through 1967.

Australian "pre-silver" florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence coins minted from

1910 to 1945 contained 92.5-percent silver. From 1946 to 1964, they were minted in

"post-silver" coins which contained 50-percent silver. In 1966, the "round" 50-cent

coin contained 80-percent silver.[4]

Popularity

Junk-silver coins may be a desirable method of investing in silver for several

reasons:

Low premiums

Coins can often be purchased for little or no premium over the spot price of silver,

particularly during periods of economic stability.

Legal tender

Coins remain legal tender and maintain their face value regardless of the price of

silver.

Recognition

Coins are familiar and less likely to have their value disputed than silver rounds or

bars.



Divisibility

Coins can be easily spent or traded in small amounts. In contrast, minted silver

bullion is rarely smaller than a troy ounce, while minted gold bullion (and other

precious metals) is highly valued in even small amounts, like the American Gold

Eagle coins.

For these reasons, junk silver is popular among survivalists. In the event of a crisis

or catastrophe during which traditional currency collapses, it is speculated that

silver coins could provide a viable alternative, temporarily or indefinitely, while fiat

currency, which is not backed by precious metals or other commodities, has no

inherent value and can be subject to extreme inflation, even hyperinflation, similar to

Weimar Germany and, more recently, Zimbabwe. Proponents of junk silver and other

precious metals adhere to the principle that, while fiat currencies have historically

been subject to hyperinflation, precious metals will always have inherent value and

can act as a medium of financial exchange when fiat currencies are obsolete.

Junk copper

Some coin collectors[who? ] and investors are also informally using the term "junk

copper" to refer to any copper -bullion coins of no numismatic value. Prominent

examples include U.S. pennies minted before 1982 (partial), Canadian pennies

minted before 1997, and some pre-Euro copper European coins. 154 junk-copper

U.S. pennies contain a full pound of fine copper.

See also

Coin collecting

References

1. ̂ "90% Silver U.S. Coin Bags". Monex (Newport Beach, Calif.: Monex Precious Metals).

Unknown. Retrieved 2009-07-31.

2. ̂ "U.S. Silver Coin Melt Value Calculator". Coinflation.com (Unknown: Coinflation.com).Unknown. Retrieved 2009-08-07.

3. ̂ ab"Spot Prices for Silver Bars, Silver Coins and Silver Rounds". Bullion Spot Price

(Unknown: BullionSpotPrice.com). Unknown. Retrieved 2009-08-10.

4. ̂ "Handy calculators for Australian silver coins". Silver Stackers Forum (Australia:

silverstackers.com). Unknown. Retrieved 2009-08-29.



Categories: Currency | Silver coins | Survival skills

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