Silver Dime Values
Which dimes are silver, what they're worth in melt value, and which dates carry premiums above silver content.
Every US dime minted in 1964 or earlier contains 90% silver. That includes Roosevelt dimes (1946–1964), Mercury dimes (1916–1945), and Barber dimes (1892–1916). The silver content alone makes each one worth more than face value, even in heavily worn condition.
Which Dimes Are Silver?
- 1964 and earlier: 90% silver. These are the dimes worth money for their metal content.
- 1965 and later: Copper-nickel clad. No silver. Worth 10 cents (with a few proof exceptions).
The cutoff is the same as quarters and half dollars: the Coinage Act of 1965 removed silver from circulating US coins. If your dime is dated 1964 or earlier, it's silver. If it's 1965 or later, it's not.
Silver Dime Melt Value
All three types contain exactly the same silver. Melt values fluctuate with silver spot prices.
What Year Did They Stop Making Silver Dimes?
1964 was the last year the US Mint produced silver dimes for circulation. Starting in 1965, all dimes were struck in copper-nickel clad. The transition happened because rising silver prices made the coins' metal value exceed their face value.
This is the most common question people have about dimes. The answer: check the date. 1964 and earlier = silver. 1965 and later = not silver.
How to Tell if a Dime Is Silver
- Check the date. 1964 or earlier means silver.
- Look at the edge. Silver dimes have a solid silver-gray edge. Clad dimes show a visible copper line.
- Weigh it. Silver dimes weigh 2.50 grams. Clad dimes weigh 2.27 grams.
- Drop test. Silver dimes ring with a higher, clearer tone than clad dimes.
How Many Silver Dimes Make an Ounce of Silver?
Each silver dime contains 0.0723 troy ounces of pure silver. You need approximately 13.8 silver dimes to equal one troy ounce of silver.
Quick math:
- 1 silver dime = 0.0723 oz silver
- 10 silver dimes ($1 face value) = 0.723 oz silver
- $10 face value (100 dimes) = 7.23 oz silver
- $100 face value = 72.3 oz silver
This is the same silver content ratio as quarters: $1 face value of dimes contains the same silver as $1 face value of quarters.
The 1965 Dime: Is It Worth Anything?
The 1965 dime is one of the most searched coin values online. People want to know if it's silver. It is not. The 1965 dime is a copper-nickel clad coin worth 10 cents. The same applies to 1966 and all later dates.
There is one exception: a very small number of 1965 dimes were accidentally struck on leftover silver planchets (transitional errors). These are extremely rare. If your 1965 dime weighs 2.50 grams instead of 2.27 grams and has a silver edge, get it authenticated. Genuine examples are worth $5,000 to $15,000+.
Dimes Worth Money: Beyond Melt Value
Most silver Roosevelt dimes trade near their melt value. But certain dates in high grades carry collector premiums:
Mercury dimes and Barber dimes carry higher premiums across the board. Common-date Mercury dimes in circulated condition sell for $3 to $5. Key dates like the 1916-D Mercury dime ($800+ circulated) and the 1921 and 1921-D ($50 to $150 circulated) bring significantly more.
Selling Silver Dimes
Silver dimes are typically sold in bulk by face value. A common pricing structure:
- $1 face value (10 dimes): Sells at approximately 20–22x face value based on silver content.
- $10 face value (100 dimes): Standard dealer lot.
- $100 face value (1,000 dimes): Bulk bag pricing, usually at melt or slightly above.
If you have Mercury dimes or Barber dimes mixed in, separate them out. They should be evaluated individually because many carry collector premiums above melt.
Get a Free Quote on Your Silver Dimes
Not sure what your coins are worth? US Gold and Coin evaluates silver dimes for free. No appointment needed. No obligation to sell.
Visit us in Dallas, Austin, Tampa, Fort Worth, Waco, Kansas City, Overland Park, Lawrence, or Honolulu. We also accept mail-in submissions with insured shipping.
Related Guides
Dime Values — Full guide to all US dime values.
Silver Quarter Values — Pre-1965 silver quarter values and melt prices.
Silver Melt Value Calculator — Calculate the silver content value of any US coin.
Silver Dollar Values — Morgan and Peace dollar values.