Methodology

Melt value is the worth of the metal in a coin if it were melted down. It is a calculation, not an opinion: melt = fine metal content x the spot price.

• Fine metal weights are fixed US Mint specifications. A 90% silver quarter contains 0.18084 troy ounces of silver; a war nickel, 0.05626 oz. The full table is on the silver content page.
• The spot price (silver, gold) is fetched from a live metals feed and refreshed daily. Each page shows the date it was last updated.
• Because both inputs are exact, the melt figure is reproducible - you can verify it yourself with the weights above.

A coin's collector value can be far above melt, and depends heavily on its grade. These figures are estimates, sourced from:

• Published price-guide ranges by grade, and
• Recent real sold prices (public auction results and completed marketplace sales).

We label them as estimates and show the grade they apply to. They are a starting point for research, not an appraisal. For anything potentially valuable, confirm with recent sold listings or a reputable dealer or grading service before buying or selling.

The key-date checklists in the value checker list recognized scarce issues and varieties. These are established numismatic facts about which dates are hard to find - they are a checklist, never a valuation.

Specs and mintages are public and stable; spot prices and estimates move. If a figure looks off, tell us and we will fix it. Corrections to the melt engine are deployed quickly because the math is deterministic.

Mint Almanac is an independent, solo-run project. It is not affiliated with the US Mint, PCGS, NGC, any dealer, or any government agency. It is funded by clearly disclosed affiliate links and ads, never by selling your data. Nothing here is financial advice.