How do I figure out the melt value of old silver coins?

US dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 and earlier are 90% silver. Kennedy halves from 1965 to 1970 are 40% silver, and the "war nickels" from 1942 to 1945 with a large mint mark above Monticello contain 35% silver. Dimes, quarters and halves from 1965 on, aside from those 40% halves and special collector issues, are copper-nickel and worth face value.

Melt value is the weight of pure silver in the coin multiplied by the current spot price of silver. Each coin type has a known silver content, so a dealer can work it out quickly. For 90% coins, buyers often price them by face value: a certain multiple of face for every dollar of face value, based on that day's spot price.

Spot prices change every day, so look up the current figure before you sell. Buyers pay somewhat under melt to cover their costs, so compare offers from two or three coin or gold buyers. Pull out any key dates first, since those sell above silver value.