US coins have seen several changes in metal content throughout their history, primarily driven by factors like metal costs and wartime needs.
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Here’s a summary of the metal content of US coins by year:
- 1793-1795: Approximately 100% copper.
- 1795-1857: Approximately 100% copper.
- 1856-1864: 88% copper, 12% nickel.
- 1864-1942: Bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc).
- 1943: Zinc-coated steel, [due to copper shortages during World War II] . A limited number of copper pennies were also minted.
- 1944-1946: Gilding metal (95% copper, 5% zinc).
- 1947-1962: Bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc).
- 1962 – September 1982: Gilding metal (95% copper, 5% zinc).
- October 1982 – Present: Copper-plated zinc (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper).
- 1866 – 1942: 75% copper, 25% nickel. This composition is still in use today for regular circulation nickels.
- 1942 – 1945 (Wartime Nickels): 56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese, to conserve nickel for the war effort. These are identifiable by a large mintmark above Monticello on the reverse.
- 1946 – Present: 75% copper, 25% nickel.
- Pre-1965: 90% silver, 10% copper.
- 1965 – Present: Copper-nickel clad (91.67% copper core, 8.33% nickel cladding).
- 1992 – Present (Silver Proofs): 90% silver from 1992-2018, and 99.9% fine silver since 2019.
- Pre-1965: 90% silver, 10% copper.
- 1965 – Present: Copper-nickel clad (91.67% copper core, 8.33% nickel cladding).
- 1975-1976 (Bicentennial Quarters): Special 40% silver versions were also released.
- 1992 – Present (Silver Proofs): 90% silver from 1992-2018, and 99.9% fine silver since 2019.
- 1964: 90% silver, 10% copper.
- 1965 – 1970: Silver clad (outer layer of 80% silver, 20% copper bonded to an inner core of 20.9% silver and 79.1% copper; total of 40% silver, 60% copper).
- 1971 – Present: Copper-nickel clad (outer layer of 75% copper, 25% nickel bonded to an inner core of pure copper; total of 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel).
- 1976 (Bicentennial Half Dollars): Special silver-clad issues were also released.
- 1992 – Present (Silver Proofs): 90% silver from 1992-2018, and 99.9% fine silver since 2019.
- Pre-1965: Various compositions, but generally contained a high percentage of silver . Examples include the Flowing Hair Dollar (89.24% silver), Seated Liberty Dollar (90% silver), Morgan Dollar (90% silver), and Peace Dollar (90% silver).
- 1965 – Present: Copper-nickel clad (like the dime and quarter) for general circulation.
- 1971 – 1976 (Eisenhower Dollars): Copper-nickel clad for circulation, but 40% silver proof sets were released for collectors.
- 2000 – Present (Sacagawea, Presidential, Native American, American Innovation Dollars): These dollar coins have a golden color and are made of a mix of copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel. For example, the Native American Dollar is 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese, and 2% nickel.
- 1986 – Present (American Silver Eagle): 99.9% silver bullion coins, one troy ounce in weight.
Note: This information focuses on circulating coinage. The U.S. Mint also produces commemorative coins and proof coins that often have different metal compositions, including silver and gold, to appeal to collectors and investors.
When did US coins stop being 90% silver?
I can help with that. L. 89–81, 79 Stat. 254, enacted July 23, 1965, eliminated silver from the circulating United States dime (ten-cent piece) and quarter dollar coins. It also reduced the silver content of the half dollar from 90 percent to 40 percent; silver in the half dollar was subsequently eliminated by a 1970 law.