United States quarters produced in 1964 and earlier contained 90% silver. These coins, often referred to as “silver quarters,” had a significantly higher intrinsic value compared to their face value due to the silver content.
The practice of using silver in circulating coinage was discontinued in 1965. This change occurred primarily because the rising price of silver made it economically unsustainable to continue producing coins with such a high silver content. The increasing demand for silver in industrial applications, coupled with a finite supply, led to a situation where the silver in a quarter was worth more than 25 cents.