The short answer: every US quarter dated 1964 or earlier is 90% silver. From 1965 onward, circulating quarters are copper-nickel clad with no silver at all. The switch happened in one step — there is no in-between year for quarters, which makes them the easiest US coin to check.
Silver quarter series and dates
| Series | Dates | Composition | Silver content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barber quarter | 1892–1916 | 90% silver | 0.1808 ozt |
| Standing Liberty quarter | 1916–1930 | 90% silver | 0.1808 ozt |
| Washington quarter | 1932–1964 | 90% silver | 0.1808 ozt |
| Washington quarter (clad) | 1965–present | Copper-nickel clad | None |
Three quick tests
1. The date
1964 or earlier means silver. This is reliable for quarters because, unlike half dollars, there was no 40%-silver transition period.
2. The edge
Clad quarters are a copper core sandwiched between nickel layers, and the core shows as a copper-colored stripe on the edge. A 90% silver quarter has a uniform silver-grey edge. This test works even when the date is worn away.
3. The weight and sound
A silver quarter weighs 6.25 g; a clad one weighs 5.67 g. Silver also rings with a higher, longer chime when balanced on a fingertip and tapped — the old-fashioned “ping test.”
The exceptions: collector silver after 1964
- 1976-S Bicentennial quarters sold in special mint and proof sets are 40% silver. Circulation Bicentennial quarters (no S mint mark) are clad.
- Silver proof quarters, 1992–present, sold by the US Mint in silver proof sets — 90% silver through 2018 and .999 fine silver from 2019. They carry an S mint mark and mirror-like proof surfaces.
These never circulated, so a quarter from pocket change dated after 1964 is safely assumed clad.
What a silver quarter is worth
Melt value is weight × purity × spot: 6.25 g × 0.90 = 5.625 g of silver, or 0.1808 troy ounces — about 18% of whatever silver trades at per ounce. The US silver coin calculator does this at the live spot price, and the silver chart shows where spot is right now. For the formula itself, see how to calculate silver melt value.
Before selling a pile as bullion, scan the dates: 1932-D, 1932-S, and most Standing Liberty and Barber quarters in decent condition carry collector premiums above melt.
Frequently asked questions
Are any quarters after 1964 silver?
Only special collector issues: the 1976-S Bicentennial quarter sold in 40% silver mint and proof sets, and silver proof quarters struck from 1992 onward (90% silver through 2018, .999 fine from 2019). None of these entered circulation, so a post-1964 quarter from change is clad.
How much is a silver quarter worth?
A 90% silver quarter contains 0.1808 troy ounces of silver, so its melt value is about 18% of the silver spot price per ounce. Common dates trade near melt; key dates like the 1916 Standing Liberty or 1932-D and 1932-S Washington are worth far more to collectors.
What is the fastest way to check a quarter for silver?
Look at the edge. A clad quarter shows a copper-colored stripe in the middle of the edge; a 90% silver quarter has a solid silver-colored edge. Then confirm with the date: 1964 or earlier is silver.