If your grandmother was like many women of her generation, she kept coins in all sorts of places, from the button tin and the kitchen junk drawer to the corner of a jewelry box. To her they were spare change, but some of them are now worth far more than their face value, either because of the silver inside or because collectors want them. Here are seven kinds to look for, with prices reported by coin dealers and collector guides. Keep in mind that retail dealer prices are not what a seller is paid, that values depend heavily on date, mint mark and condition, and that nothing here promises a payout. When in doubt, ask a trusted dealer before you clean or sell anything.
1. Morgan Silver Dollars
Heavy, bright and about the size of a small cookie, the Morgan dollar was struck from 1878 to 1904 and again in 1921. These coins are 90 percent silver and hold about 0.77345 ounces, so FindBullionPrices puts the melt value at $44.06 with silver at $56.97 an ounce on October 17, 2026. Collectors often pay more than melt. APMEX listed a lot of ordinary 1878 to 1904 dates in circulated condition at about $60 a coin, and a lot in about uncirculated condition at about $75 a coin. Worn Carson City coins from 1878 to 1893, marked CC, were listed at about $190 each. Those are dealer asking prices, so expect an offer to be lower. Look for the date and the CC mark, and leave the tarnish alone. If you inherited a bag of old dollars, keep them together and resist the urge to polish them, since collectors prize original surfaces.
2. Peace Dollars
The Peace dollar is another big silver coin that many grandmothers tucked away. APMEX says the series ran from 1921 to 1928 and again in 1934 and 1935, in 90 percent silver. Gainesville Coins lists the silver content at 0.77344 ounces, so the melt value is about $44 at the October 2026 silver price. Collector prices climb above that for scarcer dates. APMEX lists a 1921 at $180 and a 1928 at $220 in very good condition, and $285 and $300 in extremely fine. The 1934 S is a famous key date, listed at $165 in extremely fine and $3,511 in uncirculated MS60. Peace dollars were struck at Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco, so use a magnifier to look for the small mint mark letter.
3. Walking Liberty Half Dollars
Few coins are as graceful as the Walking Liberty half dollar, which shows a woman striding toward the sunrise. It was struck from 1916 to 1947 in 90 percent silver, APMEX says, and the FindBullionPrices chart puts the melt value at $20.37 at $56.97 an ounce. APMEX lists a 1938 D at $67 in very good condition and $100 in fine condition. A 1916 S in very good condition is listed at $225, a 1921 at $265 and a 1921 D at $525, with higher grades far more. Many of these halves wore smooth from years of use, but even a worn one carries its silver. Keep them together and have a dealer weigh in before you sell. Silver coins are heavier than they look, so a handful of halves in a jewelry box can add up faster than you would expect.
4. Mercury Dimes
The Mercury dime, officially the Winged Liberty Head dime, ran from 1916 to 1945 and is 90 percent silver. The FindBullionPrices chart shows a melt value of $4.07 per dime at the October 2026 silver price. APMEX lists common dates like the 1917, 1929 D and 1934 at about $9 to $10 in very good condition and about $12.90 to $22 in extremely fine condition. The prizes are the key dates. APMEX lists a 1916 D at $3,250 in very good condition and $4,500 in fine, and a 1921 at $130 and a 1921 D at $160 in very good. Check the mint mark on any 1916 or 1921 dime before you drop it back in the drawer, because that tiny letter makes all the difference.
5. Silver Washington Quarters
Washington quarters dated 1964 and earlier are 90 percent silver, and that silver is worth more than 25 cents. The FindBullionPrices chart lists 0.17875 ounces of silver per quarter and a melt value of $10.18 at $56.97 an ounce. A few dates are worth even more. Gainesville Coins says only 436,800 of the 1932 D were struck and that circulated examples start at about $125. It calls the 1932 S the lowest mintage regular issue date in the series, at around $125 or more in worn condition. Look through every old quarter for those two dates and note the mint mark. Grandma’s quarter jar may be worth quite a bit more than you think. A quick sort by date takes only a minute, and anything dated 1964 or earlier deserves a closer look.
6. Indian Head Cents
Small, coppery and easy to overlook, Indian Head cents were made from 1859 to 1909. Most are worth little, and that is worth knowing up front. Gainesville Coins puts circulated common dates from the 1870s and 1880s at about $3 to $15, from the 1890s at about $2 to $8 and from the 1900s at about $1 to $5. The key dates are where the money is. The same guide lists the 1877, with a mintage of 852,500, at $850 to $2,500 or more, the 1908 S at $65 to $125 and the 1909 S at $450 to $850 or more. Check the date and any S mint mark with a magnifier, and don’t scrub off the dirt. A bag of common dates adds up slowly, but the occasional key date makes the search worthwhile.
7. Buffalo Nickels
The buffalo nickel was made from 1913 to 1938, and many are worn so smooth that the date has faded. Gainesville Coins says well worn buffalo nickels run from about $1.25 to $30, depending on the date. A handful of varieties are worth much more even when circulated. The guide lists the 1913 S Type 2 at $350, the 1918 D 8 over 7 at $1,250 and the 1937 D three legged buffalo at $575. A three legged buffalo has just that, one leg missing from the animal on the back. Use a magnifier to check the date and mint mark, and set aside anything that looks odd for a dealer to examine. Even the common dates are a nice keepsake from Grandma’s era, whether or not they ever sell for much.
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