US Coin Melt ValuesSNAPSHOT
Every circulating-era US coin, metal content from official mint specifications, melt value computed live from the spot prices below — edit them and the whole table recalculates. Silver/gold defaults are our latest snapshot; base-metal defaults are placeholders — check live Cu/Ni/Zn prices before relying on those rows.
| Coin | Face | Silver ozt | Melt value | × Face |
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Read this before you melt anything
- Melting US gold and silver coins is legal; melting cents and nickels is illegal (31 CFR §82.1). Copper-cent hoards are a bet on that rule changing.
- Many pre-1965 coins carry collector value above melt — key dates, high grades, war nickels with full steps. Check a value guide first.
- Dealers pay 85–95% of melt for bulk junk silver. Locking spot at these prices: compare dealer buyback rates.