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are proof sets silver? i know the penny isnt, but is the nickel? i just found a 1970 proof set in the attic. is the half, quarter, and dime 90%? they all have the 'S' mint mark.
thanks in advance,
madman

the half is 40% silver. The nickel is cupronickel, the dime and quarter are clads. Nice score though.

thanks fasteddy! i recently found a 1997 dime while roll searching that appeared to be silver and had the 'S' mint mark. i thought someone here told me it was a proof coin and that it was indeed silver. are some proof coins different? why isnt the 1970 dime silver? was the person wrong about the '97 dime? it looks silver from the edge thats for sure, no copper in sight.

1964 was the last year for 90% silver in the circulating dime, quarter and half. From 1965 through 1970, halves were 40% silver. Not too many 1970's out there to be found in the wild, since they were only made for proof sets (somebody correct me on this if I'm wrong?). There were some Eisenhower dollars that were 40% silver in proof sets too, but I'm not sure what years. Also, in 1976, the bicentennial halves and quarters were produced in 40% silver for some proof sets as well, and some of the commemorative coins had silver content as well through the 80's. Besides that, from 1971 through 1991, proof sets were just proof-strike versions of the circulating coins--i.e. clads with the copper visible on the edge. Starting in 1992, the Mint began producing these same proof sets, plus a second version each year that had dimes quarters and halves struck from the traditional 90% silver. That would be where your 1997 dime came from. It was never meant for circulation, but it got there anyway

Guys, did I leave anything out?

thanks a bunch rexmerdinus!!!

Check the penny to see if it's a small date.
http://www.lincolncentresource.com/smalldates/1970Ssmalldate.html

rexmerdinus wrote:1964 was the last year for 90% silver in the circulating dime, quarter and half. From 1965 through 1970, halves were 40% silver. Not too many 1970's out there to be found in the wild, since they were only made for proof sets (somebody correct me on this if I'm wrong?). There were some Eisenhower dollars that were 40% silver in proof sets too, but I'm not sure what years. Also, in 1976, the bicentennial halves and quarters were produced in 40% silver for some proof sets as well, and some of the commemorative coins had silver content as well through the 80's. Besides that, from 1971 through 1991, proof sets were just proof-strike versions of the circulating coins--i.e. clads with the copper visible on the edge. Starting in 1992, the Mint began producing these same proof sets, plus a second version each year that had dimes quarters and halves struck from the traditional 90% silver. That would be where your 1997 dime came from. It was never meant for circulation, but it got there anyway

Guys, did I leave anything out?

Just to add, I think there are 1970-d unc. 40% halves as well as 1970-s proof 40%'s.
1971-1974, and 1776-1976 on the 40% Eisenhower dollars.
Not all of the 40% silver Eisenhower dollars are proofs. Blue(unc) and brown(proof) Ikes.
There were both unc. and proof 40% versions of the dollar, half, and quarters in 1976.
Nice summary of post-64 silver coins.