How To Tell 1967 50% Versus 80% Silver Coins Apart ?

I swear the 80% stuff has a higher, longer lasting ring sound when droppped on a hard surface... when compared to 50%.




I really suggest trying this if you want to sort purities. If you have junk silver, the 80% stuff is usually more tarnished, but I would not consider this conclusive proof.

After you get your 80% sorted out, you may hafta convince a buyer it is 80%. It may be only you that has the knowledge, and anyone else just 65%s it.





That's a difference of .025 between .900 and .925(sterling). That is truly amazing!

Were the mintage figures for 50% and 80% approximately the same? If not the average %ge should be weighted accordingly.

(i.e. not necessarily 65%)

I've wondered about this too, what about using something like a coin comparator or metal detector to compare the electromagnetic properties of the coins?

When I was in school, back in 1967 and 1968, I ws sure that I could tell the .800 and .500 silver coins apart by their rings- the .800 was higher and cleaner. Now, I would not swear that I was correctin my separations, but that was a common way of telling counterfeits from genuine coins in China, for example. The silver coins had a ring, the counterfeits (lead) went thud. People were employed by the money changers to do nothing but test the coins by sound. The colour of the new coins was slightly different, as I recall. I am not sure that I could use either to differentiate them now, although I am a musician.

thats what I was going to say "try dropping it."

I am giving this older thread a bump instead of making an entirely new discission.

I went down rabbit hole yesterday, because I have a whole bunch of silver quarters, and it would be nice to know what 1967 quarter (or dime) is 80% vs 50% - for future reference.

This is a quote from earlier in this thread:




I totally agree with that reply.

Different materials have specific weights, and if two objects are identical except for composition, you should be able to determine which is which from an accurate measuring of weight.

I also found the following earlier today while looking for a means of differentiating the two composition coins.



(no link provided because apparently a url to that site is prohibited)

Can anyone confirm that the above quote is correct?

Those weights would of course assume a "zero wear" coin, but this should be of use because if the quarter is more than 5.05 grams, it should be the 80% silver version.
Correct?

If this all seems to be of sound logic, does anyone have weights of 80% vs 50% silver dimes?

Thanks!!

Hi,

The quote is not correct.

According to the Charleton Catalogue, the weight of the 1968 nickel quarters is 5.07 grams. Both the 80% and the 50% sliver quarters are supposed to weigjh 5.83 grams.

Jan

That info is incorrect. All the silver ones weigh 5.83g, regardless of the alloy. The nickel coins weigh 5.07g. You cannot tell the difference using weight. Wear and normal planchet variation will swamp any trivial weight difference.

If you try to sell them, no one will give you credit for the coins you say are 80% silver. If you melt them, you will get the value of what silver you have from the melt company. So I would not bother trying to figure out the difference unless you plan to buy large quantities, sort and melt the 80% coins and sell the 50% coins as is.