How to Tell If a Dime Is 40-Percent Silver?

Dimes were once made with silver.

While modern coins are made with inexpensive materials such as copper, zinc and nickel, coins in the past were made with precious metals. Dimes were once made from silver. There are no 40-percent silver dimes; silver dimes are composed of about 90-percent silver and 10-percent copper. The amount of silver in a coin was once the method of determining the value of the coin. A dime, for instance, contained 1/10 the amount of silver as a silver dollar. Determining if you have a silver dime is not difficult if you adhere to several simple methods.

Instructions

1. Look for the date on the coin. If it reads 1964 or earlier, it contains silver. Due to the Coinage Act of 1965, dimes made in 1964, 1965 and 1966 all read "1964" to indicate that the coin contains silver. Dimes made after this date do not contain silver.

2. Turn the coin on its side. If you see bands of silver and copper coloration, the dime contains no silver. A silver dime has a silvery edge with no banding.

3. Drop the dime in question onto a hard surface, then drop a dime that you know contains no silver. If a dime contains silver, it has a different tone than a dime with no silver.

4. Weigh the dime. A silver dime weighs slightly more than an ordinary dime.

References

• The United States Mint: FAQ
• Bifaloo.com: 5 Rare and Valuable US Coins
• US Money Fact.com: Silver Coinage
• Coin Resource: Roosevelt Dimes 1946 - present Coin Guide