Why is silver harder to find these days?

[TheHbeast]

Admittedly, I wasnt alive for this "switch" but I hear that at some point silver became much more difficult to find as coinage. What is the reason for that? Have they all been found or are they much deeper in the ground? I've found two silver rings and two dimes and that's it, It's sad to think that it used to be easier.

Also, does anybody have tricks for detecting for silver? Good spots, methods, etc?
Thanks for Sharing!

 

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[sprailroad]

Tom I’m sure you’re aware that 90% silver dimes, quarters and halves were minted again starting 1992 to present day. Millions. I’ve found several while roll hunting over the years, but none while detecting. Some are about to be minted in .999 fine silver.

Well....yes and no. In 1976 just over 8 million Bicentennial quarters were Silver Clad, along with about 17 million Copper-Nickle clad, after that, it was not until 1999 that the issue of State Quarters, DC & Territories Issues and the National Park Series began, quarters being of Copper-Nickle Clad Copper EXCEPT that each issue of quarter ALSO had a smaller mintage of Silver (0.900) quarters, example being the 1999 Delaware State quarter. 778,437,359 were minted of the Copper-Nickel Clad Copper type, with the further mintage of 804,565 made of 0.900 Silver. I wonder if the Silver ones ever made it into general circulation, I'm thinking not?. For dimes somewhat the same thing, 1965 through present they were and are minted of Copper-Nickel Clad Copper EXCEPT that from 1992 thru 2013 there were also Silver dimes minted as well, all of the San Francisco mint, example being; 2010 s; 1,103,815 clad, with an additional 849,600 silver. The numbers I am using here come from a September 2015 issue of U.S. Coin Prices Mag., Last year of issue that I know of that showed the number of coins for each date and mint mark that were made. Comes in handy. So...again yes and no. They are out there, somewhere, but lots of fella's on this topic put out some really good reasons of why so scarce now. To find just one Merc puts a smile on your face anymore.

 

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[fistfulladirt]

Well....yes and no. In 1976 just over 8 million Bicentennial quarters were Silver Clad, along with about 17 million Copper-Nickle clad, after that, it was not until 1999 that the issue of State Quarters, DC & Territories Issues and the National Park Series began, quarters being of Copper-Nickle Clad Copper EXCEPT that each issue of quarter ALSO had a smaller mintage of Silver (0.900) quarters, example being the 1999 Delaware State quarter. 778,437,359 were minted of the Copper-Nickel Clad Copper type, with the further mintage of 804,565 made of 0.900 Silver. I wonder if the Silver ones ever made it into general circulation, I'm thinking not?. For dimes somewhat the same thing, 1965 through present they were and are minted of Copper-Nickel Clad Copper EXCEPT that from 1992 thru 2013 there were also Silver dimes minted as well, all of the San Francisco mint, example being; 2010 s; 1,103,815 clad, with an additional 849,600 silver. The numbers I am using here come from a September 2015 issue of U.S. Coin Prices Mag., Last year of issue that I know of that showed the number of coins for each date and mint mark that were made. Comes in handy. So...again yes and no. They are out there, somewhere, but lots of fella's on this topic put out some really good reasons of why so scarce now. To find just one Merc puts a smile on your face anymore.

Quarters? Whatever, like I said in my orig post, silver dimes, quarters and halves have been minted since 1992. There are millions out there. My reply was for Tom, who posted “no silver coins minted since 1964.”

 

[Timecop67]

I've bought many recently made American silver proof sets....I think those are pure or of higher silver. Don't think any or very few made it to general circulation. If a person starts to dig shinny quarters out of the ground that is the indication that some made it to circulation but most dug are still black. Buying new. Most of my 1 ouncers are now Canadian Maple Leafs.

 

[fistfulladirt]

I've bought many recently made American silver proof sets....I think those are pure or of higher silver. Don't think any or very few made it to general circulation. If a person starts to dig shinny quarters out of the ground that is the indication that some made it to circulation but most dug are still black. Buying new. Most of my 1 ouncers are now Canadian Maple Leafs.

They aren’t pure or higher silver. They’re 90%. Made from 1992-present. Some made it to circulation. They’re found by roll hunters.

 

[Mackaydon]

Here's my story:In '78 I moved to West LA and started to metal detect a couple of acres of school play area. My research showed the area had been a polo ground in the '20s, the site of the equestrian event in the '32 Olympics; then the school was built in 1955. The first day hunting I had hit enough good targets to continue to hunt the site one hour each morning before going to work. I surveyed and hunted the entire site; marking my end points then starting from there the next day. By the end of that summer I had found hundreds of coins and jewelry.
I recapped what I had found and submitted the results (type, year, mint mark, quantity) to a treasure magazine who printed the results.
The editor's comment stated he thought I was crazy for doing all that 'work'. I believe I got 'the last laugh'; and the majority of the silver.
Don.......

 

[Tom Slick]

Silver coins minted after 1992 were not minted for, or put in circulation. Those silver coins were made specifically for collectors and were included in some mint and proof sets. A few million of each don't amount to squat when it comes to circulation numbers. Roll hunters find them because folks clean out a drawer at home, roll them up and take them to the bank. When you're talking less than a million of any individual silver coin minted and the general circulation coin of the same denomination, same year is close to 2 BILLION. That puts your odds at what, about 2,000 to 1. don't hold your breath waiting to detect that 1990 something silver dime or quarter.

 

[Toecutter]

All of the places it detected last night were paved with silver coins I couldn't believe how many there were it was every hole i dug thought for sure gold coins where next but unfortunately I woke up..

 

[Mvgirl]

I sometimes feel lonely that here in canada there is next to no metal detectorists compared to the u.s. ... but then I think about how lucky I am too... I've way less competition. Still tough to find silver though... but if it was easy to find it'd be less of a thrill to pull a silver out of the ground I geuss.

 

[sprailroad]

I stand corrected, Fistfulladirt's reply was for Tom, did not mean to read a post that I should not have, my mistake. Tom, I must also have been mistaken about what I posted as far as mintage etc., there are MILLIONS of silver coins out there to be found, because MILLIONS have been minted since 1992 and I guess put into circulation, I say that because fistfulladirt said so, therefore it must be true. The quarters and whatever.

 

[fistfulladirt]

I stand corrected, Fistfulladirt's reply was for Tom, did not mean to read a post that I should not have, my mistake. Tom, I must also have been mistaken about what I posted as far as mintage etc., there are MILLIONS of silver coins out there to be found, because MILLIONS have been minted since 1992 and I guess put into circulation, I say that because fistfulladirt said so, therefore it must be true. The quarters and whatever.

Sorry. I never said ‘92 and up were in circ. I just know that they can be found. You can read my posts, won’t hold you against that.