help- 2003 quarter?? silver content?

[Penn]

I was buying water and this quarter been kicked back many times from the machine- it almost looks like it is real silver.

It says Illinois. It looks silver. Did they make them in silver? 40% or 90%??

 

[benjamen]

http://www.statequarterguide.com/2003-illinois-state-quarter/
http://proofsetguide.com/2003-silver-proof-set/

There seem to be two different versions. You may have lucked out and gotten one that is 90% silver.

1) Clad type: 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel
2) Silver Proof type: 90% silver, 10% copper

 

[Penn]

It does not look clad. It looks like solid nickel.

 

[benjamen]

http://cointrackers.com/coins/1221/2003-s-illinois-state-quarter/
http://cointrackers.com/coins/1219/2003-d-illinois-state-quarter/

Check the mint mark. The 90% silver coins have a 'S' mint mark, while the clad coins have a 'D' mint mark.

 

[DoChenRollingBearing]

...

Wow, Penn, maybe you got extra-lucky!

I did not know about the proofs being silver (good info, repliers!).

 

[ancona]

Nice score ,an! Shit like that never happens to me though. :-(

 

[Penn]

ut oh- the mint is D. oh well.

 

[DoChenRollingBearing]

@ ancona

Ha ha (sort-of)...

I did get a Buffalo Nickel at Barnes & Noble about 6 weeks ago, and on a cruise to Cozumel I got a 1964 (silver) quarter back as change in the tourist part of Cozumel (they gave me change for my purchase in US money) a couple of years ago -- you would think Mexicans would know not to give away a silver quarter, being the No. 1 producers in the world and all...

 

[Penn]

Hit my coin store. That quarter is only plated. So worth .25.

My coin store was cleaned out of junk silver, even 40%

 

[CharlesMcLain]

Congratulations on your find. You have been very lucky. To be totally sure of what you have, get your coin assayed from a reputed company. Keep us posted about what it really turned out to be.