Generally, a U.S. quarter dollar coin weighs 5.67 grams.
- Quarters minted from 1873 to 1964: These silver quarters weigh 6.25 grams.
- Quarters minted after 1965: These are clad coins and weigh 5.670 grams.
The difference in weight is due to the change in the quarter’s metallic composition. Before 1965, quarters were composed of 90% silver and 10% copper. Due to the increasing cost of silver, the U.S. Mint changed the composition of circulating quarters in 1965 to a clad sandwich of 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. The copper-nickel blend gives them their characteristic silver-like appearance.
Why does my quarter weigh 5.7 grams?
Good point! The most significant change to the quarter’s weight occurred in 1965 when the U.S. Mint decided to eliminate silver from quarters entirely due to a severe coin shortage and rising silver prices. Instead, quarters were made with a copper core and a copper-nickel-clad shell, leading to the current weight of 5.67 grams.
How much did a quarter weigh before 1964?
Prior to this 1965 shift, American quarters weighed in at 6.25 grams from 1873 up until 1964.