Melt value is the intrinsic worth of the precious metal a coin contains, ignoring any numismatic or collector premium. It equals the pure-metal weight in troy ounces multiplied by the spot price per ounce.

What is a troy ounce?

A troy ounce is the standard unit for precious metals and equals about 31.1035 grams, heavier than the everyday avoirdupois ounce of 28.35 grams. Spot prices are always quoted per troy ounce.

How much silver is in pre-1965 US coins?

Pre-1965 US dimes, quarters, and half dollars are 90% silver. A quarter has about 0.1808 troy oz of pure silver, a dime about 0.0723 oz, and a half dollar about 0.3617 oz. These are called junk silver when worn.

Why is melt value sometimes higher than face value?

When metal prices rise, the silver or gold in an old coin can be worth many times its stamped face value. A 90% silver quarter has a face value of 25 cents but several dollars of silver, depending on the spot price.

Does this include the collector premium?

No. This tool only calculates the raw metal value. Rare dates, high grades, and bullion products often sell well above melt because of demand, condition, or a dealer premium over spot.

Coin Melt Value Calculator

This calculator works out the intrinsic precious-metal value of a coin from its weight and purity, so you can compare what a coin is worth as metal against what a dealer is asking. It covers common US silver coinage and popular bullion, or you can enter any coin’s specs.

How it works

The melt value is the pure-metal content multiplied by the spot price:

pure troy oz = gross grams × fineness / 31.1035
melt value   = pure troy oz × spot price per troy oz
total        = melt value × quantity

Fineness is the fraction of the coin that is the precious metal: 0.900 for US 90% silver, 0.9167 (22k) for a Gold Eagle, 0.999 for fine silver rounds. A troy ounce is 31.1035 grams.

Example and tips

A pre-1965 US silver quarter weighs 6.25 g at 0.900 fineness, giving 6.25 × 0.9 / 31.1035 ≈ 0.1808 troy oz of pure silver. At a 30 per-ounce spot price its melt value is about 5.42. A roll of 40 quarters is roughly 7.23 oz of silver. Always update the spot price with the live market figure before relying on the result, and remember bullion typically trades at a small premium over melt.