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Junk silver, also known as constitutional silver, refers to United States coins that were minted before 1965 that contain 90% silver content. Think quarters, dimes & half dollars from 1964 or earlier all are 90% silver.  These coins are called “junk” because they are typically heavily worn or damaged and have little to no numismatic value, meaning they are worth only their silver content.

These pre-1965 coins include dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollar coins that were minted in the United States until 1964. Kennedy half dollars were minted with a 40% silver content from 1965 to 1970, and therefore are not considered the same as junk silver.

Junk silver coins have become popular among investors and collectors who are interested in owning silver for its investment potential. They can be purchased in bags, rolls, or individual pieces, and are often bought and sold based on their weight and silver content. Junk silver is often preferred by investors who want to own small denominations of silver, as the coins are relatively inexpensive and easy to trade.  Due to their fractional nature, they are believed to be the best for trade.

Here are the silver weight content of each denomination:

• Dime (10 cents): Each dime contained approximately 0.0723 troy ounces (2.25 grams) of pure silver, with a total weight of 0.080 troy ounces (2.5 grams).
• Quarter (25 cents): Each quarter contained approximately 0.1808 troy ounces (5.625 grams) of pure silver, with a total weight of 0.200 troy ounces (6.25 grams).
• Half dollar (50 cents): Each half dollar contained approximately 0.3617 troy ounces (11.25 grams) of pure silver, with a total weight of 0.400 troy ounces (12.5 grams).

While these coins are purchased as bullion investments (for silver) they are very popular and generally carry a higher premium than lets say a no-name silver bar or round.  This increased premium is common for most government issued bullion currency as the legitimacy is not questioned.

Here are some additional points that can be added to the article:

• Junk silver is also sometimes referred to as 90% silver, as the coins minted before 1965 generally contained 90% silver and 10% copper.
• Junk silver coins are often sold in bags that contain a certain face value of coins, such as $10 or $100, and the number of coins in the bag varies depending on the denomination of the coins.
• While junk silver coins are not considered rare or valuable in the numismatic sense, some coins may carry a premium due to their condition or rarity. For example, some coins may have low mintages or be in near-perfect condition, which can make them more valuable to collectors.
• Junk silver coins can be used as a form of currency in the event of an economic collapse or other crisis, as they are widely recognized and accepted as a store of value.

Some investors choose to purchase junk silver coins as a way to diversify their investment portfolio, as they provide a tangible and historically stable asset to balance out other investments such as stocks or bonds.