Say goodbye to the 90/10 mix of silver coins from the United States Mint. The agency is now producing silver coinage to 99.9% purity.
The increased silver composition will be used for dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and commemorative dollars.
"In 2019, any previous 90/10 silver denominations have moved to 99.9% silver, including Silver Proof Half Dollars, Silver Proof Quarters, Silver Proof Dimes, and Silver Proof and Uncirculated $1 Commemoratives," U.S. Mint spokesman Michael White told CoinNews on Tuesday, Feb. 19. "All other coin compositions remain the same."
The 90% silver and 10% copper ratio is often referred to as "coin silver." The mix was a mainstay of U.S. circulating coins from the early 1800’s until the Coinage Act of 1965 became law. Its use returned in 1982 for modern commemorative coins and in 1992 with the introduction of annual silver proof sets.
Actually, until President Obama signed the FAST Act in December 2015 which replaced the traditional 90/10 language with “not less than 90 percent silver,” the U.S. Mint by law had to produce silver coins for numismatic products like the annual sets in 90 percent silver.
Advantages of .999 Fine Silver Coins
There are several benefits in moving to more pure silver. As examples, when the U.S. Mint compared manufacturing data between the 2012 Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar in 90% silver and its .999 fine 2013 Proof American Silver Eagle, the following differences were discovered:
| National Infantry (90/10 Alloy) |
American Eagle Silver (0.999 Silver) | Comments | |
| Die Life (coins per die) | 600 coins | 1800 coins | 3X better with 0.999 Silver |
|
Scrap (Haze related) |
14% avg | 10% avg | 4% better with 0.999 Silver |
| Customer Returns | 2% avg | 1.3% avg | 0.7% better with 0.999 Silver |
| Downtime (Cleaning dies) | 80X/day | 20X/day | 4X less downtime with 0.999 Silver |
In terms of quality, the Mint has found that the copper in 90/10 alloy exceeds the maximum solubility of copper in silver and can cause coin spots and hazing, which drives higher scrap rates and customer returns.
The "excess copper precipitates out of solution and can cause a buildup on the dies or could cause a harder blank surface," a Mint document describes. "The finished product displays varying amounts of breakup spots and haze."
.999 silver also flows better under pressure, resulting in superior fills and fewer strikes to make numismatic coins.
2019 Silver Sets
U.S. Mint annual sets for 2019 with coins having .999 fine silver purity will include the ATB Quarters Silver Proof Set (for release Feb. 21 at $36.95), the flagship Silver Proof Set (for release this spring at $54.95), and the Limited Edition Silver Proof Set (for release this fall at $149.95).
Wow! Excellent. No more white spots caused by the CU? It makes it easier to purchase knowing it’s 99.9% pure. Agree?
yes, this is great news.
Yes with the purity & results- No to the insane premiums being applied to it by The Mint. But it was a different world when you wrote this comment- i hope you are super stacked by now killing it with 100 silver sets of each of these amazing coins
Milky Cloud spots still exist either using .999 pure silver , the Silver Eagle still have spots problem ! People still pay High Premium for Low price Metal !
I agree with you. The Silver Eagles have always had problems with milky spots. Some think it is usually coins bought on the second market from people that do not handle the coins carefully. I myself really don’t know the real reason for the spots but it is a problem that will continue. And as always.. that is just my humble opinion on that.
Hi Joera,
Milk spots are caused by improper cleaning of the coin blanks. The wash is improperly done leaving metal from the minting process to oxidize. Basically, rust (never sleeps).
I like the change to 99.9% but this will have little affect on spotting.
And thank you for the heads up on the transparency on metal discoloration.
Milk spots are caused when the planits. Is being washed with soap and water to remove oil’s caused in the manufacturing of the blanks and are not properly clean dried when they are struck at the meant that milk spot is fused into the surface of the corn and it becomes part of the model itself it cannot be removed without running the corn.
Thanks for the heads up.
And… The value of older 90/10 coins will likely go up as there wont be anymore of them made.
I for one think that this is a terrible change and a completely unnecessary abandonment of 227 years of historic consistency in the silver content of the real “dollar” as established by our founding fathers in the Coinage Act of 1792. The “dollar” coin should contain 371.25 grains of silver.
I agree
I tend to agree with you.
Sounds good…just have to make a new dollar coin each year, and make it to size based on estimated cost of silver…
Should be great for collectors.
Science has progressed just a bit since then
Idk much about grains, I do think we shouldn’t be messing with these acts. But I also believe that a $1 should contain a full troy ounce of silver, 50ct a 1/2 & so on so im torn. Couldn’t tell you why but it bothers my sense of balance or symmetry that $1 dollar & 1oz troy silver don’t equate to one another. Anyway hello to the past- this comment is like time traveling back 4yrs, or just being 4yrs late to the party hahaha
I just Love Silver anyway. ⚡️⚡️ It’s all good to me
They should make them fractional sizes, 1/10z for dime, 1/4z for 25c et cetera……
This sucks. Keep the content historical.
When I first saw the headline, I was shocked..! After further reading, I’m delighted..! This is wonderful news..!
I remember reading that Canada had problems with their .999’s because of spotting? I like this number better of course, but I wonder what if any is true? Who’s zooming who?
I would like to see the mint start to make the Franklin Half Dollar again, the Kennedy is past the time it’s run, That would be good investment in 99.9 silver half.
I can’t remember ever seeing a Morgan or Peace silver dollar with white spots. Why would copper be a problem now when it wasn’t then?
I’m very happy to hear that decision they made about the new silver coins. Looking forward to seeing the new product.
If they’re going 0.999 with silver, could the Mint at least do 95% copper on the pennies!? I can also live with 0.999 Copper pennies if people insist.
I agree with that at least 0.999 % copper for Penney’s in the Silver Proof sets. That’s just my opinion. The people who purchase Silver Proof sets needs needs to start filling out those surveys and giving their opinion what they would like to see , and give their opinion. They might actually take it into consideration so fill those survey forms out and return them.
I don’t like it. It’s going to be more difficult to make a decent ring out of them. Too soft at 99.9.
I’m hoping I could get a mint error as a result of this change.
Somebody must have finally retired.
I love this idea. This idea will not only Be appreciated by the average coin collector put two silver collectors as well. Hats off to the mint For making this change. Can
Always a chance left over 90/10 blanks accidentally get used on 2019 and beyond coinage !
That just means that the Silver Coins will be fractional bullion coins . I certainly have no objection to this change .
What is the other .1 percent
I would expect copper, which is what historically has been used to harden precious metals for coinage. Maybe they are just “covering” themselves since getting really close to 100% purity of anything is difficult outside of a laboratory.
Thank you richard I appreciate your reply I was just curious..it is true that it helps the mint also to cut down on operating cost but helps us collectively collecting lmao
Well, well, Would’t you know it, all the benefitst seem to be in the mints favor. Anything to reduce their operating expences. Will the mint pass on the savings in production to the collector? I think not! I’m a traditionalist, I prefer the same 90% silver coins that they have made for 200 years. Just a note, you can get spots on any coin, any composition – it just happens. About the softness of 99.9% silver coins – with all the coins put in slabs today nobody touches them anymore. How can you damage a coin in a slab, unless… Read more »
What is the A.T.B. Quarters wrapped in? Rumors abound it’s P.V.C. Making the color of the silver very off. What is causing this. No one is selling them. The grading services can not even guarantee a proof 69 . Never in eight years of this wonderful program has there been such problems.Sellers are reposting sets returned to them due to the off color. The you have an explanation.? Thank you Mike. I’m trying to help. Please understand. We just want to know. That’s all..
Reading this in June 2023, wish I’d bought 2019 silver sets for $36 when they released.. Probably $235 for that set now, I get that .999 is 10% better- but why they’re 3Xs as expensive as 90%ers is beyond me