Lucky Yard Sale Score

CSOTUS,

The junk silver value, or the value of the silver itself in the coins, is about $40. At the current spot rate of $19.73 the coins beak down as follows:

1 pre 1965 quarter (90% silver) - melt = $3.57
1 pre 1965 half dollar (90% silver) - melt = $7.14
10 1965-1970 Kennedy halves (40% silver) - melt = $2.92 x 10 = $29.20

With silver at $20 per ounce, the ratio of FV to junk on pre-65 silver coins is a little over 14:1. So in simple terms, if all the coins are 1964 or older and made of silver (dimes, quarters, halves, maybe even Morgan and Peace dollars!), add up the face value and multiply by 14 to get a very fair price. If you can get it for less than that, BARGAIN!

The 1965-70 Kennedy halves are 40% silver, so the ratio is a bit different. There are a few Eisenhower dollars that are 40% silver as well. They are 1971-74, but ONLY the S mint mark. For the 40% silver coins it's a bit less than 6:1. So add up all the 40% silver coins and multiple face value by 6 to find the "fair" price.

This is a quick way to assess the value of silver coins in a yard sale. Of course, if silver price changes, the ratio changes as well.

HOLY LORD! - AMAZING FINDS! I never found ANY coins at yard sales - maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

I like the coins with no Latin text on them that can't be attributed by your average flea marketeer - 500 yen for $1 isn't a bad deal!