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Message:: [QUOTE="Collector1966, post: 1077725, member: 17919"]In 1968, the silver in the pre-1965 dimes and quarters was worth slightly more than face value, but it was becoming increasing rare to come across a silver coin in circulation. The silver in the 40% halves was worth a little more than a quarter, but people were saving them anyway because they contained silver. By 1969, there was almost no silver at all left in circulation. In the early '70s, there was talk at the Mint that the price of copper was rising to the point where it would cost more than 1 cent to mint a penny. The Mint experimented with various alloys, and in 1974 distributed aluminum cent patterns to members of Congress. Even though billions of cents (including billions of Memorial cents) had been produced up to that time, there were still various penny shortages which were created, in large part, by people hoarding pennies on the expectation that the copper value would rise to the point where ordinary pennies could be sold for more than their face value.[/QUOTE]