The United States dime, a ten-cent coin, was historically composed of 90% silver and 10% copper. This composition lent the coin intrinsic value beyond its face value. However, rising silver prices made it economically unsustainable to continue minting dimes with this precious metal content. The question centers on the precise time when this silver composition was discontinued in favor of a less expensive alternative.
The shift away from silver coinage was driven primarily by economic factors. By the mid-1960s, the value of the silver in dimes, quarters, and half-dollars was approaching, and sometimes exceeding, the coins’ face value. Retaining silver in circulating coinage would have necessitated either a significant increase in the face value of the coins or risked mass melting for their silver content, disrupting the nation’s monetary system. Discontinuing the silver content provided a cost-effective solution to maintain the functionality of the dime.
