Does a tooth fairy still visit you, or has she moved on to your kids?
Whatever the case, I bet you still remember the quarters under your pillow and how you wondered whether they were made from real silver. Perhaps these heart-warming memories sparked an interest in silver quarters.
You are not alone. Many adults are interested in finding out the silver quarter weight.
The answer to this question is not as simple as you may believe. The silver quarter has transformed many times during its long existence.
It is quite an intriguing story, so stay tuned!
The US Silver Quarter Weight In Ounces And Grams
The US silver quarters coined from 1873 to 1964 weigh 0.22 ounces or 6.25 grams. They are made from 90% silver and 10% copper.
The first quarters were minted from 1796 to 1838 and contained 89.24% of fine silver. They weigh 0.24 ounces or 6.74 grams. The modern clad quarter weighs 0.2 ounces or 5.67 grams but contains no silver.
As you can see, there is no universal answer to how much a silver quarter weighs. The United States treasury has minted different quarters throughout its history. Hence, the weight of a quarter depends on the year it has been minted.
It is useful to know that silver quarters had been minted up to 1964. After this year, all the quarters minted in the USA are clad quarters which means they are made from 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. No silver at all!
Therefore, unless you are in your sixties, the chances that the tooth fairy delivered you a silver coin back when you were a kid are rather slim! Your kids are unlikely to score a silver quarter, too.
If you want to know the US silver quarter weight for a particular year, check out the table below.
| Year | Weight in Ounces | Weight In Grams | Metal Composition |
| 1964 silver quarter | 0.22 ounces | 6.25 grams | 90% Silver, 10% Copper |
| 1965 silver quarter* | 0.22 ounces | 6.25 grams | 90% Silver, 10% Copper |
| 1976 silver quarter | 0.20 ounces | 5.75 grams | 40% Silver, 60% Copper |
| 1977 silver quarter* | 0.20 ounces | 5.75 grams | 40% silver, 60% Copper |
Even though the 1964 and 1965 (or 1976 and 1977) silver quarters weigh the same, they are not worth the same. Why is that so?
The 1965 and 1977 silver quarters are silver by mistake. They were struck on the silver-clad planchet by accident. Hence, these coins are a result of an intriguing transitional mint error and are exceedingly rare. Most 1965 and 1977 quarters are copper- nickel-clad and contain no silver whatsoever.
As a result, rare 1965 coins struck on planchets intended for the pre-1965 silver issues often reach sky-high prices at auctions. One such “wrong metal” silver quarter has been sold to a collector for a whopping $7050.
Whatsmore, a 1977-D Washington Quarter struck on a silver-clad planchet was auctioned and sold for an astounding $9000. This quarter was accidentally struck on a planchet that had been used for minting the San Francisco Mint’s Bicentennial issue silver quarters in 1976.
How Much Does A Canadian Silver Quarter Weigh?
The weight of the Canadian silver quarter has changed over the years, just like the weight of the United States quarter. First Canadian silver quarters were minted in 1870 and weighed 0.2 ounces or 5.65 grams. From 1967 the Canadian silver coins weighed 1.79 ounces or 5.05 grams.
Officially, the Canadian quarter weight was not established till 1908. However, it is assumed that all coins minted up to 1910 weighed 0.2 ounces (5.65 grams). These silver quarters were made from 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper.
The weight of Canadian silver quarters was slightly increased after 1910. They weighed 0.21 ounces or 5.83 grams. The composition remained the same.
In 1920, the silver content of Canadian quarters was reduced to 80%, but the weight remained unaltered. The weight change occurred in 1967.
A 1967 Canadian silver quarter thus weighs 0.179 ounces or 5.05 g. It contains 50% silver and 50% copper.
The following year, Canadian quarters were stripped of all silver content. Up until 1999, they were made of 99.9% nickel and weighed 0.179 ounces or 5.05 grams. The modern Canadian quarter that you see and use today was first minted in 2000. It weighs 0.15 ounces or 4.4 grams and consists of 94% steel, 3.8% copper, and 2.2% nickel plating.
If you want to know the Canadian silver quarter weight for a particular year, check out the table below.
| Year | Silver Quarter Weight in Ounces | Silver Quarter Weight in Grams | Metal composition |
| 1870 | 0.2 ounces | 5.65 grams | 92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper |
| 1910 | 0.21 ounces | 5.83 grams | 92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper |
| 1920 | 0.21 ounces | 5.83 grams | 80% Silver, 20% Copper |
| 1967 | 0.179 ounces | 5.05 grams | 50% Silver, 50% Copper |
Final Words
Even though the silver quarter weight has varied over the years, the differences were not as significant as the changes in the metal composition. With time, the silver content has been steadily reduced, both in the USA and Canada, until both countries seized silver quarter production altogether.
Modern quarters contain no silver at all. Therefore, if you want your kid to receive a silver quarter from a tooth fairy, you have to make an effort to find one that was minted more than 60 years ago.
I hope you have found all the info you needed on silver quarter weight. If we missed out on some crucial piece of information, let us know in the comment section below. Please share the article, too.
