Silver Coin Melt Values at Fresh Highs

Silver coin melt values registered fresh highs last week, displacing the previous peaks reported just three weeks ago. The gains came as a result of record silver prices, with London silver reaching $17.80 an ounce on Thursday.

Despite a 17 cent retreat on Friday to $17.63 an ounce, the metal is sporting an incredible gain of $6.84, or 63.4 percent, for the year as compared to the $10.79 closing price on Dec. 31, 2008. And with that, it's a good time to again look at how the intrinsic values of 90 percent silver coins have jumped.

Silver Coins Today has tables of silver coin values and several country coin melt calculators for just this occasion, making the process simplistic. As a quick reference and to show how much intrinsic coin values have increased in 2009 alone, here is a sampling output based on the US silver coin melt calculator at Friday's $17.63 silver price.

Old Silver Coin Melt Values

Silver Coin Types	Year of Issue	Coin Face Values	Coin Melt Values	2009 Increase
Jefferson War Nickel	1942-1945	$0.05	$0.99	$0.38
Mercury Dime	1916-1945	$0.10	$1.28	$0.50
Roosevelt Dime	1946-1964	$0.10	$1.28	$0.50
Washington Quarter	1932-1964	$0.25	$3.19	$1.24
Walking Liberty Half Dollar	1916-1947	$0.50	$6.38	$2.48
Franklin Half Dollar	1948-1963	$0.50	$6.38	$2.48
Kennedy Half Dollar	1964	$0.50	$6.38	$2.48
Kennedy Half Dollar	1965-1970	$0.50	$2.61	$1.01
Morgan Dollar	1878-1921	$1.00	$13.64	$5.29
Peace Dollar	1921-1935	$1.00	$13.64	$5.29
Eisenhower Dollar (40%)	1971-1976	$1.00	$5.57	$2.16
Silver Eagle (1 oz)	1986-2009	$1.00	$17.63	$6.84

 

The "junk silver coins" description is often used by coin collectors to refer to older 90 percent silver coins with intrinsic silver or melt values that are worth more than their numismatic values. The old term is used to this day, but the coins are far from junk as the above prices show.

Their buying and selling activity is at a high. As an example, a search on eBay with the keywords "90% Silver Coins" currently shows more than 730 active listings. (See current eBay auctions.) When we discussed this topic three weeks back, there were 580 active listing.

As another follow-up, using the Silver Coins Today page Silver Coins: Prices & Sales, the following table was produced to highlight how much collector coin melt values have increased between their issue date and up through Friday.

US Mint 2009 Silver Coin Intrinsic Values

	Issue Date	Intro Price	Final Price	London Silver Price on Issue Date	Total Silver Included (troy oz)	Melt Value on Issue Date	Melt Value on Oct. 9	Melt Value Increase
Lincoln Silver Dollar - Uncirculated	Feb. 12	$31.95	$33.95	$13.34	0.773	$10.32	$13.64	$3.32
Lincoln Silver Dollar - Proof	Feb. 12	$37.95	$41.95	$13.34	0.773	$10.32	$13.64	$3.32
Quarters Silver Proof Set	Mar. 23	n/a	$29.95	$13.76	0.868	$14.93	$19.13	$4.20
Braille Silver Dollar - Uncirculated	Mar. 26	$31.95	$33.95	$13.60	0.773	$10.52	$13.64	$3.12
Braille Silver Dollar - Proof	Mar. 26	$37.95	$41.95	$13.60	0.773	$10.52	$13.64	$3.12
2009 US Mint Silver Proof Set	Jul. 17	n/a	$52.95	$13.16	1.519	$19.99	$26.78	$6.79

 

Now these coins and sets are obviously not within the "junk silver" realm. Their true values are mostly dictated by their numismatic worth. However, secondary market prices fluctuate based on large precious metal price swings.

For other country calculators, check out Australian Silver Coins Melt Calculator, Canadian Silver Coins Melt Calculator, and the New Zealand Silver Coins Melt Calculator.

 

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