how common are silver quarters in circulation?

There have been no silver quarters in "circulation" since 1970.

When you find a silver quarter in change it's because it just got into change by accident, happenstance, or misfortune. Coins that can't trade hands for a while can not "circulate". These also don't work in machines so might get tossed in the trash by someone who is frustrated by it.

There was a huge spike in incidence of silver quarters 2008 caused by the economic collapse and another in 2020 caused by the response to covid but they do not circulate. When households fail things like the coins set aside in the china cabinet simply get spent or tossed.

What you won't see is a bunch of old high grade clad quarters getting spent at gas stations and laundromats. There are two reasons; people don't have any old clad in high grade and nobody is looking for old clad in high grade. If anyone were spending old clad in high grade it would soon be chewed up in circulation and would look much like all the other coins.

Every day clad gets torn up a little more but people still seek or see only the old silver coins that exist by the millions in rolls and bags.

 

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Quarters are still the "workhorse of circulation". They aren't worth much any longer due to deficit spending but they are the largest coin and are far more likely to be spent than any other denomination. A clad quarter will go around the block twice before a penny puts on its shoes. Since they do have a high velocity silver versions will be plucked out of pocket change sooner than other silver. Silver quarters were saved by the guy who got it right before you did.

 

That sounds about right. Over the past three or four years I have pulled just four silver Washington quarters, one Mercury dime and three Roosevelt dimes—all three were from 1964—out of the Coin Star reject bin. Two of the quarters were 1964, the others 1952 and 1954.

 

My last silver quarter came in change at a small coffee shop in Jackson Ms in 2010.
I was so happy I gave her a generous tip lol. My only find in circulation.

 

I have searched through literally thousands of dollars in Quarters and probably about 2to 3K in halves over the last few years. I have gotten probably less than 5 Silver Quarters and maybe 3 90% halves (1 Franklin). And about 10 or so 40% halves. But about 2 yrs ago my bank called me and said they had a couple hundred dollars in halves if I wanted them. I'm like, "be right there!" SO on the 3rd roll, on the end no less, I found a 1867 Seated Liberty half!!! Not super valuable but like hitting the Lottery for a coin collector. The most silver quarters I found were in Car Wash or Laundromat change. There were a couple folks who used to bring their change in from those and I would buy it from the bank. Found more in that change than any bank rolls. And I think some folks either cracked some Proof sets or swiped the coins cause I did get some modern "S" proofs also.

 

I didn't read all comments on all pages so hope this isn't redundant: My experience has been that when you're actively trying to find them you can't/don't, and when you're not, one turns up, if getting almost extinct. Halves aren't used much at all in these parts and I don't go to the bank for rolls, so no can do. Rarely if never find Mercs, Buffs or Indians...occasionally a silver FDR...my experience.

 

back when i was from 10 to 13, i used to spend my after school hours at a bank in the parking lot of the shopping plaza where me mum had her 3rd store (a dollhouse & miniature store) and i would go through a roll hand it in, and get another, i spent hours because the women that worked there thought it was cute to see a young boy so interested in coins, i believe i must of gone through at least 20-200 dollars a day (depending what i searched, pennies, nickels, dimes, etc..the most silver i got was going to each clerk's window when she was not busy and eyeballing the coin tray they each had, i would say, may i please have the 3rd one in, or 11th or whatever, anytime i saw a silvery edge, i must of gotten well over 300 kennedy 40% and about 50 90%, a ton of old war nickels, many v, and buffalo and pre 1950 nickels and wheaties as well..but around the 90's the silver started drying up for good..sad to say...but, oh..those days of yore...lol

 

or marry her!!

 

Don't buy the cow, when you can get the silver for free, wink wink...

 

And then spent by the guy who stole them from him, or inherited them from him. The Circle of Numismatic Life.

 

Wow! Thread was started in 2009.

 

hey kdkenn, you are a lucky lady being a bank employee and a coin collector. you never know what your gonna find. i would say you would have the better luck searching quarter rolls at home. what about red and blue seal currency, brown and yellow to? i bet you see it all. good luck in your search kdkenn........

 

How common are silver quarters in circulation?

About as common as hen's teeth. You are more likely to get a Proof in circulation than a silver quarter. I have gotten the Proof BTW.

 

You can't keep a good thread down.

 

That sucks

 

2 Canada 1 US quarters. 3 years. Oh wait. I had found a few silver proof quarters

 

Having a blizzard. Kinda

 

Got me too

 

Last year I got a dark and worn strange looking nickel in change from a tobacco store. Thinking it was a foreign coin, I examined it as I walked out the door. Imagine my surprise when I saw that it was a 1911 Liberty nickel.

 

I still find 40%ers from time to time in change. Seldom any 90%ers. Good luck.