Please Explain Junk Silver To A Newbie

Thanks for all the information. Being new to numismatics, I came across the term junk silver and never heard it applied to coins. I thought it might mean coins with rubbed off markings and dates. Certainly, it does seem even those silver coins would still retain at the least their metal value and therefore not truly be "junk" like you might call an old beat-up wicker footstool better tossed in the trash.

terry we are not talking about spending silver coins. You had mentioned 'Coins like Roosevelt dimes that are silver still fetch 20 times their face value.' which is simply not the case at this point in time. A common silver Roosevelt dime in any grade under MS and even some MS examples are easily found in the junk bin for 13-14 times face value. I am just looking out for OP as he is a self proclaimed newb and I don't want see a post where he thinks he got a great deal on common silver Roosevelt dimes for $1.80 a piece.

FYI in case the pic isn't clear (sorry about the shadows--must do something about lighting at my kitchen table!), the coins are as follows: 1890 Liberty nickel (and yes, the "tails" side is all but completely worn off--I'd have thought blank planchette, but you can discern the tip of a wing and a trace of a couple letters), 19? Mercury dime, six dateless Standing Liberty quarters, and a 1915 Barber half.

You win!! All the coins in that cig case are similarly worn except a couple Canadians and some Roosevelt dimes. I'd never have thought the coin that is barely recognizable, and not even silver, is worth more than the others!

Btw, I realized later I said wing when I should've said V. My brain does funny things sometimes.

About the top left quarter; on the reverse are there three stars under the eagle like the others?

If the coin has a clear date it is not junk to me. Get a 1916 LSQ with a date and it can look like heck and still fetch a lot of money.

Terry if anybody buys anything for any amount and sells it for more than double they are doing good. (unless the value of the currency has dropped by more than half) I never said silver Roosevelts don't have numismatic value. Common dated average circulated silver dimes, Roosevelts and Mercury, can be purchased today for $1.40 each in average circulated condition including the dates you listed as long as one isn't looking for a uncirculated or about uncirculated example of the scarce dates. I very recently, early 2016, completed an entire set of Roosevelt dimes in nicely circulated condition and I paid no more than $1.80 for any single coin in the set, I don't even think I paid that much honestly. All but one or two coins were purchased for $1.50 or less. Many for $1.35 in January. My goal was for every single coin I bought to be from dealers' bulk 90% silver bins. I do agree that blazing white unc will not be had for under $2 even for common dates.


I still can buy very circulated common date merc dimes, Standing Liberty quarters and Walking Liberty half dollars for 14 times face value at my LCS. I can get most dates VF-AU Franklin halves, Washington quarters and all dates/MM VF-AU Roosevelt dimes for the same price. I have to be there before someone else buys them but they are available; maybe not everyday but it can be done without much difficulty.

Also a hand full of common date Barber coins are usually found in AG to sometimes good condition in the junk bin at the same shop.