History of coins · 1965
1965: Silver disappears from coins
Rising silver prices push the US – and soon other countries – to replace silver in everyday coins with copper-nickel.
The Coinage Act of 1965 removed silver from US dimes and quarters; half dollars kept a reduced silver content until 1970. Switzerland followed in 1968 and many other countries in the same years, because the metal in their coins had become worth more than face value.
This is why older coins in drawers can be worth more than face value: US dimes, quarters and halves dated before 1965 and Swiss coins from half a franc to five francs dated before 1968 contain silver. A quick check of the date often tells you whether a coin is worth its silver.
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