In dealing with 90% dimes, quarters, and halves it's industry standard to go by the face value. If the coins were unc, you might multiply spot by .7234 ounces to get your face value. Usually dealers will multiply spot by .715 to get face value to account for minor wear and tear. Now, I scrutinize every junk dime, quarter, and halve when I buy. I cherry pick my coins looking for the fullest unc specimens I can find just in case they start going by weight. But for the most part, all the dealers in my area go by face value and really don't even look at the coins that much at all when I sell back to them because they are so busy at a show or in their shop.
Could be worse. I stopped into a pawn shop I hadn't visited before, and asked about prices on the scant selection of coins they had on display. Proof sets with a clad half, silver dollar, and gold $5 were $350, respectable for a pawn shop, but not really a bargain. I asked about the loose 90% change on display, and the salesperson insisted I pick one in particular "because they're all different". I pointed to a nondescript 1950's quarter. She said "I think those go for about $11". I thanked her politely.
As I type right now melt value for junk 90% is about $11.68 face. Anybody been picking some up lately? Seems dealers jack up prices when melt gets below $12.00 face.
That's what I was trying to find out. Is anyone getting below 12? I have a dealer who sells to me sometimes slightly below melt but that is when melt is atleast 13 x face.
The 2 LCS in my area that consistently have junk silver sell for 14x and 15x. If I could get junk for under 12x I'd be ecstatic.