The ultimate 12 months that america Mint produced circulating quarters composed of 90% silver was 1964. Previous to this date, quarters, dimes, and half {dollars} have been minted with this excessive silver content material, giving them intrinsic worth past their face worth. Cash from 1964 and earlier are sometimes wanted by collectors and traders because of their valuable metallic content material.
The shift away from silver coinage occurred because of rising silver costs. As the worth of silver exceeded the face worth of the cash, there was a threat of them being melted down for his or her metallic content material. Eradicating silver from circulating coinage was essential to stabilize the financial system and stop a possible coin scarcity. This transition marked a major change within the composition and worth of American foreign money.