The composition of United States quarters modified considerably in 1965. Previous to this yr, these cash had been minted with a 90% silver content material, contributing to their intrinsic worth and collectibility. These earlier cash are sometimes called “silver quarters” as a result of this valuable metallic element.
The alteration within the metallic composition was primarily pushed by the escalating value of silver. As silver costs rose, the fee to supply 90% silver quarters approached, and at occasions exceeded, their face worth. Sustaining the silver content material would have led to coin hoarding and a possible scarcity of circulating forex. The swap to a clad composition of copper and nickel alleviated this concern and stabilized the financial system.
