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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Conder101, post: 1041200, member: 66&quot;]The government probably got the lions share of the silver coins.&nbsp; First they published propaganda that the silver and clad would circulate side by side for many many years.&nbsp; Second they made it illegal to melt down the silver coins.&nbsp; Third they set up machines at at least two of the largest Federal Reserve banks and ALL of the dimes, quarters, and halves that came back from the banks were run through the machines.&nbsp; The clad was sent back to circulation and the silver was kept and melted.</p><p><br /></p><p>The silver acquired this way was added to the strategic stockpile.</p><p><br /></p><p>Later the stockpile was declared to be surplus and the government did start selling it off.</p><p><br /></p><p>Silver from the stockpile was used for the commemorative coins and then finally used to strike the silver eagles.&nbsp; The stockpile was depleted around 2000.&nbsp; Since then the mint has had to purchase silver on the open market to produce the Commems, silver eagles, and silver proof sets.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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