silver coin

Silver coins are just that -- metallic currency containing a significant amount (usually greater than 50%) of silver. Up until the mid-1960's, Canadian and American coins both contained large amounts of silver. Dwindling silver supplies, rising prices and silvers usefulness in industrial applications caused both nations to eliminate silver from common currency. The public noticed, of course -- leading to the great coin shortage of the '60s caused in part by people hoarding silver coins.

Coins to watch out for:

Nickel is magnetic, silver is not -- keep this in mind when sorting through piles of loose change.

Canadian Coins:

Previous to 1967:

• Dimes, quarters and half-dollars were all .800 fine silver. Dollar coins contained 0.6 of an ounce of silver each.

1967:

• Dimes, quarters and half-dollars were minted in .500 fine silver. Dollar coins contained 0.6 of an ounce of silver each.

1968:

• Roughly half of dimes and quarters were minted in .500 fine silver. Between 1968 and 1970 Canada did not produce any silver dollar coins -- these were made of copper and nickel.

American Coins:

1964 and earlier:

• Dimes, quarters half-dollars and dollar coins were all .900 fine silver.

1965 and onwards:

• Kennedy half-dollars from 1965 through 1970 were .400 fine silver, as well as any Bicentennial halves marked with the 'S' mint mark.
• Eisenhower dollar coins from 1971 through to 1974 with the 'S' mint mark were .400 fine silver, as well as those from the Bicentennial sets.

Sources:

USGS - Silver History & Significant Events:

http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/silver/880798.pdf

The Coin Site:

http://www.coinsite.com

Albern Coins on Canadian Coin Varieties:

http://www.canuck.com/~albern/variety.html