The best way to determine if your coins are silver is to view the edge of the coin. If the coin has a solid silver stripe, then you can feel confident that it's silver. If you can see a copper stripe, then the coin is clad. A more subdued silver stripe with faint traces of copper could mean that the coin is 40% silver.
The Ice Test
"Even at room temperature, authentic silver products will melt the ice at an exceedingly rapid rate. If it melts fast(er), it probably is silver." It's a simple, neat little trick that can tell you if you are dealing with sterling silver or a clever fake.
All U.S. dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollars minted before 1965 are 90% silver. You can also view the edge of the coin. If you see a solid silver strip, then you can be confident it's silver. If you see a copper (or reddish) stripe, then the coin is silver clad.
Invest in American History. Most coins minted in the United States before 1965 were 90% silver and 10% copper. Silver at the time was a cost-effective way to produce coins that were both durable and attractive. All other U.S. denominations other than pennies and nickels at one time were struck using 90% silver.
The thing is, with silver dollars, there's a third factor at work: metal content. Every half dollar minted before 1971 contained silver, making these older examples almost always worth more than 50 cents.
US dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollars were minted in 90% silver until 1964. Produced to save nickel for the war effort, war nickels 1942-1945 are 35% silver (silver nickel production started part way into 1942). Half-dollar coins minted between 1965 and 1970 are 40% silver, but from 1971 on, contain no silver.
Apply a drop of acid to the scratched surface only.
Alternatively, use a drop of vinegar (which is highly acidic) on the scratched piece. If it's real silver, the surface won't get tarnished. If the silver is fake, it will tarnish.
Pingcoin for Android
By recording and analyzing the sound produced by your coins the app is able to tell you if the coin is genuine or fake. If you've ever found yourself not quite 100% sure about a coin's authenticity, try the ping test with the Ping Coin app.
Silver is not magnetic, not even with the strongest magnet.
Most silver-plated items will stick to a magnet since they have a metal alloy base dipped in silver, but sterling silver will not.
Silver bars and coins will tarnish the more you hold them in your bare hands. It is better to avoid touching the bars or coins to keep them in original condition. Your hands will accumilate oils and dirt over time which can lead to quicker tarnishing or damaging of silver coins.
For silverware, jewelry, and other small silver items, soak them in a glass bowl with a half-cup of distilled white vinegar and two tablespoons of baking soda. Let the silver soak for three hours, rinse the items, and dry and polish them with a microfiber cloth.
The best way to determine if your coins are silver is to view the edge of the coin. If the coin has a solid silver stripe, then you can feel confident that it's silver. If you can see a copper stripe, then the coin is clad. A more subdued silver stripe with faint traces of copper could mean that the coin is 40% silver.
CoinFacts (PCGS mobile app) Many coin collectors say the first place to start for any coin collector or enthusiast is with PCGS — offering a variety of different coin-collecting apps for both iOS and Android. PCGS claims they're the industry standard for grading and valuing coins.
The vinegar will remove heavy tarnish, and the bicarbonate of soda will lightly buff your silver to a wonderful shine! We hope these tips on how to clean silver at home help you remove tarnish and bring the shine back to your silver jewellery and tableware.
Older Silver Coins Tend to Be More Valuable
Today's “silver” coins contain far less silver if we're talking about quarters, dimes, and nickels. Some older silver coins of this nature are worth far more than their face value if they're rare or have unique design features.
Silver coins can also be sold to pawn shops, silver exchanges, and silver buyers, each of which will give you cash in exchange for your coins (based on the weight of the coin) and then proceed to melt them down.
The 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar
The 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar may sit atop the rankings of the most expensive coin ever sold, at least for now. Some experts believe that it was the first silver dollar struck by the U.S. Mint.
Australian pre-decimal silver coins minted between 1910 and 1945 comprise 92.5% pure silver (aka sterling silver). Later dates contain 50% silver. When decimal coinage was introduced in 1966, the circular 50 cent coin contained 80% silver.