Junk silver dimes  do offer several advantages. First, they provide small increments of barter. Secondly, like silver rounds, this form of silver coinage generally carries a low premium over the spot market price of silver — unless during situations of physical supply shortages. (In other words, the market value of “junk silver” is very close to the actual melt value of the junk coins.) Thirdly, they are legal U.S. tender (albeit only for the face value). Finally, junk silver bags are recognized around the world as a trading medium and are therefore very liquid.

For every $1.40 in face value of a combination of dimes, quarters, and half dollars pre-1965 there is the equivalent of 1 troy ounce of silver. Another way to look at this is for every $1.00 in face value there is .715 troy ounces. For example, you have $10.00 face value of silver quarters, then that is equal to 7.15 troy ounces (10.00 x .715 = 7.15). In addition, if you take $1.40 and multiply it by .715 you get the desired $1.00 amount.

• Silver Dimes contain 0.0715 troy ounces of silver
• Purity: 90% silver, 10% copper (.715 troy oz. silver content per 1 dollar of face value)