1965 Washington Quarter...could it be silver?

[clovis97]

I bought $100 worth of clear wrapped quarters today from the bank.

One of the quarters was a glaring silver in that roll. "AHA!!!! I found one!!!!" I thought.

When I busted the roll, I found it to be dated 1965. The coin is in awful condition. It looks like it was a dug coin. The rim is silver and dark black, just like some of the 40% JFK halves that I've found.

I looks like silver, and even sounds a bit like silver...any chance that it could be silver??

Where is the mint mark? (The coin is in AWFUL condition, and I couldn't find a mint mark.)

If I take a pattern makers file and file a knick on the rim, will I be able to see any copper, even if it is 40% or 90%?

Sorry to ask such a dumb question, but thank you for your help!!!!

 

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[DigginThePast]

Please don't take a file to it or do anything else to further damage the coin. If it truly is silver it is quite rare and valuable.

You need to weigh the coin, accurately. If you can't do this yourself take it to a jeweler and ask them if they can. A silver Washington Quarter will weigh 6.25 grams while a copper-nickel issue will weigh 5.67 grams. Obviously you don't want to do anything too radical as far as cleaning it but it should be fairly free of foreign material in order to get an accurate weight.

There are a few known Silver 1965 Washington Quarters. Odds are against it being a silver error but if it is, its worth quite a bit even in lower grades.

Here is one authenticated by PCGS for those that will say they don't exist.

 

[clovis97]

Thank you for such a quick reply!!!!

Were any silver quarters made for proof sets?

I had no idea that a real 1965 silver error was so valuable.

I know next to nothing about coins, but this sounds and feels more like the 40% silver JFK halves that I have.

I really, really, really doubt this coin is one of the rare 90% 1965 errors, but I wanted to make sure it isn't a coin busted out of a proof set.

Thanks so much!!!!!!!

 

[DigginThePast]

From 1965-1967 the Mint did not produce Proof sets. Rather, they issued "Special Mint Sets", these were of a higher quality than regular business strikes for circulation but not as high quality as a Proof.

These Special Mint Sets did not include any silver coins. In fact, there wasn't a silver Quarter available in a Proof set until 1976, and that issue I believe was actually 40% silver. 90% Silver Quarters were not available in Proof sets until 1992.

I highly doubt your coin is a silver error but hope it is for your sake. Being only 25 cents it does no harm in taking your time to find out for sure without further damage to it though. I'd even avoid the "drop" test that many advocate due to the potential rarity.