Is there a way to determine date on worn standing liberty quarters?

I have several standing liberty quarters I bought at melt value, the dates are worn enough I couldn't see anything with a 10x loupe. Is there anything else I can check on the coins to possibly determine their dates and/or a chemical that may bring up the date well enough to read? I believe they may be early dates based on the appearance of the area where the dates would be located.

 

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There is a thing called "Acid Dating" but I don't know much about it. It does involve using acid to bring up the dates. Not sure on the type of acid is used but like anything with acid, you will need to be careful with it.

 

they make nic-a-date for buffalo nickels idk if that would work but im sure theres something similar out there for silver
they will probably still be worth melt after treatment though unless they are a key date or something

 

Yes there are certain markers for the 1916 the others are not worth the trouble at that wear state. Try a google search for them.

 

I found a post on another forum where certain aspects of the 1916 and 1917 were compared to determine dates. Otherwise, I haven't found anything. When I was poking through the bin of 90% "junk" silver, I figured a standing liberty was a nicer grab compared to a washington quarter.

 

Nic-a-date works only with the Copper-Nickel coins. Nickel has physical properties that striking pressure changes the crystal structure of the copper-nickel atoms, leaving more raised portion ( such as the raised date) more resistant to certain corrosive liquids such as Ferric Chloride ( Nic-a-date) or acids, than the areas such as the fields around the date. So the chemical etches away the area around the former raised date, leaving the area of the date visible.

Silver/copper mixes do not have these changes in the crystal structure from striking, nor would nickel clad coins.

Jim