How (and Where) To Sell Junk Silver

 

How (and Where) To Sell Your Junk Silver

Junk silver is one of the most popular ways to invest in silver bullion. Junk silver, often called “junk 90%” or “constitutional silver”, refers to pre-1965 U.S. coins made with actual silver. Dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and dollar coins produced by the U.S. Mint in 1964 or earlier were made with 90% pure silver, making each coin far more valuable than its face value today.

Buying junk silver has been a popular investing strategy for many years. Because junk silver coins are plentiful and easy to find, these products often sell at a discount compared to silver bullion coins, bars, or rounds. Junk silver can also be fun to collect, since each coin gives collectors a glimpse into the history of American coinage. 

However, one of the major challenges of buying junk silver is figuring out where to sell it. While nearly every coin and bullion shop is willing to buy 90% junk silver, getting top dollar for your collection is often easier said than done. Especially in 2025, the market is flooded with junk silver, meaning that your local coin dealer may offer you only melt value for your coins – or less. 

No need to worry, though. On this page, you’ll find a full guide to how (and where) to sell your junk silver for the best payout.

What is Junk Silver?

Junk silver refers to American silver coins produced in 1964 or earlier. Until 1965, U.S. dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and dollar coins were minted using a standard silver content of 90%. Modern American coins meant for circulation are no longer made with silver, since the Coinage Act of 1965 forced the U.S. Mint to transition away from silver coinage and toward alloys of cheaper metals. 

Today, junk silver is one of the most popular ways to invest in silver. Because junk silver coins are relatively common and carry only a minimal premium over melt value compared to bullion coins, bars, and rounds, buying junk silver is a great way to save money while investing in the precious metal. 

Selling Junk Silver: Tips For Investors

But although junk silver is a fantastic choice for investors who want to save money stacking silver, it can be a challenging asset to liquidate, especially compared to more common silver products like coins, bars, and rounds. To be clear, it’s not particularly hard to sell junk silver. After all, silver is silver, and dealers are always on the lookout for junk silver coins to buy. 

The tricky part of selling junk silver is getting a fair price for your collection. For a dedicated silver stacker, selling coins for less than melt value can feel like you’re getting scammed. With a little bit of work and lots of research, though, you can learn how to get paid a reasonable amount for your junk silver collections.

Where To Sell Junk Silver

Finding a place to sell junk silver isn’t hard. Typically, the first choice a seller needs to make is whether to sell silver online or locally. Below, we’ll take a look at how these two options compare. 

Selling Junk Silver Locally Versus Online

Choosing between online and local coin dealers can be tricky for buyers – and for sellers. Both approaches come with advantages and disadvantages, and the better choice is always going to depend chiefly on your own personal preferences, investing objectives, and, of course, the amount of time you want to spend during the selling process.

Local precious metal dealers and coin shops are always on the lookout for junk silver. The biggest upside to selling junk silver to a local coin dealer is peace of mind. When you sell locally, you’ll often receive payment for your junk silver the same day, so there’s no need to wait for shipping, payment settlement, or anything else during the selling process. When you sell junk silver locally, you can also negotiate on prices and, potentially, strengthen your relationship with your local dealer.

Online precious metal dealers tend to offer a more convenient selling process compared to the average local coin shop. When you sell junk silver to a leading online precious metal dealer like Hero Bullion, you can receive a same-day quote, lock your sales price in, and ship your products for quick payment settlement. Some online dealers may offer you more money for your junk silver than a local coin shop, too. 

Ultimately, there’s no wrong choice here. Whether you choose to sell your junk silver locally or online, make sure you do your research and vet your buyer before deciding to sell.

Tip: Always Vet Your Buyer

Vetting your buyer should always be step one when you decide to sell part or all of your silver collection. Carefully read reviews, check out testimonials from verified customers, and make sure you understand your buyer’s offer and buyback policies before finalizing your sale. 

When you sell junk silver online, pay especially careful attention to your dealer’s shipping policies. Most precious metal dealers have specific shipping requirements for sellers, and failing to follow these requirements could jeopardize the security of your shipment. All dealers have different policies, so be sure to read up on them before deciding to sell.

Getting Top Dollar For Your Junk Silver

Now that you understand the basics of choosing where to sell your junk silver, it’s time to take a closer look at how to get the most money possible for your collection. Investors like yourself work for years, or even decades, to build their portfolios, so it’s important that you get a fair price for your junk silver.

Know Your Collection’s Value

The best way to receive a top-dollar offer for your junk silver collection is to know its worth. Precious metal dealers are in this business to make money. This means that they will almost always offer less for your junk silver than they believe they can sell it for. This isn’t a bad thing; all businesses operate in a similar fashion. However, knowing what you have and understanding the value of your collection can pay off big time during the negotiating process.

Typically, two main factors play into the value of a junk silver product or collection:

1. Melt value. Melt value refers to the value of the silver inside of a silver coin, bar, or round. The melt value of a silver item depends on the current spot price of silver, which fluctuates constantly. For most junk silver coins, you can determine melt value by multiplying the spot price of silver by the weight (in troy ounces) of your coin(s) and then multiplying that value by .90.
2. Numismatic value. Certain junk silver coins may also have numismatic value, which refers to the collectible value of a silver coin. Numismatic value depends on a coin’s date, mint mark, rarity, condition, and any rare errors it may include. 

How Much is Junk Silver Worth?

Junk silver is typically worth only a little bit more than its melt value. Because circulated junk silver is so common, most junk 90% silver coins sell for either melt value or melt value plus a tiny premium. To determine the melt value of your junk silver coin, multiply the current spot price of silver by the coin’s weight in troy ounces. Then, multiply that product by either .90, .35, or .40, depending on the silver purity of your coin. The result describes how much the silver alone inside of your coin is worth.

Certain junk silver coins aren’t really junk at all, though. Coins from limited mintage years or with rare mint marks, errors, or excellent grades may be worth far more than melt value. To figure out if your junk silver coins are numismatically valuable, consult a coin value guide. If you think you may have a rare and valuable “junk” silver coin on your hands, reach out to a coin shop for an appraisal.

Tip: Compare Prices Across Multiple Buyers

The best way to get top dollar for your junk silver is to compare offers across multiple buyers. As a general rule, your best bet is to never take the first offer you receive for your junk silver collection. Online dealers like Hero Bullion offer fair prices for nearly every precious metal product, including junk silver. Make sure to spend some time comparing offers from both online and local dealers if you really want to get the most cash out of your junk silver.

Staying Safe and Avoiding Scams

Unfortunately, the precious metals market is filled to the brim with scammers and fraudsters. Luckily, following just a few general guidelines can help you minimize your chances of falling victim to a costly scam. 

Should You Sell Silver To Individuals?

We generally don’t recommend selling junk silver to individuals that you do not already know. By selling silver to a verified, reputable business, you can rely on reviews, testimonials, and a history of fair transactions. While some online marketplaces allow you to research your buyer before selling silver to them, your likelihood of getting scammed increases once you step away from established platforms. 

If you do decide to sell your physical silver for cash to an individual you do not know, make sure to meet at a neutral, populated location. Many silver sellers prefer to meet outside of a police station, which can provide you a bit of added confidence and security while exchanging your silver for cash. 

Always Do Your Research

Even online businesses can turn out to be scammers, so it is important that silver buyers and sellers always do their research before finalizing any kind of sale. Always verify that you’re on the correct website if you sell to an online precious metals dealer, as some fraudsters like to create fake sites that look similar enough to the real thing to entrap desperate sellers. 

Additionally, be sure to do at least a little bit of research into the online or local precious metal dealer you choose to do business with. Look for them on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, take a look at verified customer reviews using Shopper Approved, and ask around in investor communities if you’re still unsure that a company is legit. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Final Thoughts: How (and Where) To Sell Your Junk Silver

Selling junk silver is easy, but getting a fair price for your junk silver collection can be a different story entirely. Luckily, a bit of research and price comparison go a long way in the precious metals market. By carefully comparing offers across multiple dealers, reading online reviews and vetting the people or organizations you want to sell your silver to, and knowing how much your junk silver is worth, you can get a price you deserve for the precious metals you spend time acquiring.

You might also be interested in:

• Which Quarters Are Made of Silver?
• Where to Buy Junk Silver
• Is Junk Silver a Good Investment?