What exactly is considered a "Silver" beside silver jewelry?

[midirtdevil]

What exactly is considered a "Silver" beside silver jewelry?

I've been seeing a lot of "Silver" find, but most are coins. If some are just clad, what's silver? Also, what exactly is "Clad"? Thanks for lookin'!

 

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[ClonedSIM]

Re: What exactly is considered a "Silver" beside silver jewelry?

Hiya!

Clad actually refers to the majority of general circulation, business strike coins minted after 1964. Prior to that date dimes, quarters and half dollars were minted in 90% silver, and 10% copper. After that time, the silver was eleminated from all but half dollars, which continued to be minted in 40% silver until 1971.

Clad also refers to cents made after the middle part of 1982. They were mostly copper until then, when the mint switched to cents with zinc cores and a thin copper outer layer. These are the crusty white discs you sometimes dig up, clad cents that have been exposed to the elements for awhile.

 

[midirtdevil]

Re: What exactly is considered a "Silver" beside silver jewelry?

Hiya!

Clad actually refers to the majority of general circulation, business strike coins minted after 1964. Prior to that date dimes, quarters and half dollars were minted in 90% silver, and 10% copper. After that time, the silver was eleminated from all but half dollars, which continued to be minted in 40% silver until 1971.

Clad also refers to cents made after the middle part of 1982. They were mostly copper until then, when the mint switched to cents with zinc cores and a thin copper outer layer. These are the crusty white discs you sometimes dig up, clad cents that have been exposed to the elements for awhile.

Thanks! Now I know. But....... Are modern dimes, nickels and Quarters considered "silvers"? I'm a noob, Well I often pull quarters and dimes and nickels out of the ground that have turned brown. I'm an Idiot, so I ask! I kinda get the idea. Ok so everything I pull out of the ground that doesnt discolor or crust over, but stays shiny silver is a silver, right?

 

[ClonedSIM]

Re: What exactly is considered a "Silver" beside silver jewelry?

Hiya!

Clad actually refers to the majority of general circulation, business strike coins minted after 1964. Prior to that date dimes, quarters and half dollars were minted in 90% silver, and 10% copper. After that time, the silver was eleminated from all but half dollars, which continued to be minted in 40% silver until 1971.

Clad also refers to cents made after the middle part of 1982. They were mostly copper until then, when the mint switched to cents with zinc cores and a thin copper outer layer. These are the crusty white discs you sometimes dig up, clad cents that have been exposed to the elements for awhile.

Thanks! Now I know. But....... Are modern dimes, nickels and Quarters considered "silvers"? I'm a noob, Well I often pull quarters and dimes and nickels out of the ground that have turned brown. I'm an Idiot, so I ask! I kinda get the idea. Ok so everything I pull out of the ground that doesnt discolor or crust over, but stays shiny silver is a silver, right?

You got it! Silver coins, with the exception of ones found in areas with highly mineralized soil, usually come out looking just as clean as they did going in. Clad coins, on the other hand, usualy come out crusty and red/black/brown. These clad coins are the ones you can tumble for a bit to clean them up, then run through a CoinStar machine and end up with a little cash in your pocket.,

Modern coins, since they contain no silver, aren't going to be considered silver. Folks refer to them as "silver" coins strictly based on their color, and just to differentiate them from pennies, but actual silver coins actually look more white, rarely shiny silver, especially when dug.