Is my math bad? (Junk silver)

[oppie2005]

i was looking further at junk silver, to see if my next purchase is going to be in junk or if i am going to continue with ASE and rounds, and was adding up the weights and what not. From my math, im finding that quarters and dimes to not equal up to being 1/10th or 1/4th of a silver dollar or a constitutional dollar.

this is what im using, please tell me if im wrong.

a constitutional dollar is 371.25 grains of silver, and it takes 15.432 grains to equal 1 gram.

371.25 / 15.432 = 24.057 grams

using the weights on coinflation:

a silver dollar (morgan) weighs 26.73 grams and is 90% silver.
---26.73 * .90 = 24.057 grams of silver
------(so, a dime should contain 2.4057 grams of silver and a quarter 6.0145)


a silver quarter (washington) weighs 6.25 grams and is 90% silver.
---6.25 * .90 = 5.625 grams of silver
-------5.625 * 4 = 22.5 grams (1.557 grams short of a constitutional dollar)


a silver dime (mercury) weighs 2.5 grams and is 90% silver.
---2.5 * .90 = 2.25 grams of silver
------2.25 * 10 = 22.5 grams (again, 1.557 grams short of a constitutional dollar)


Is there something that im missing, or a reason why the quarters and dimes dont equal up to a full 24.057 grams? Im sure that this is nothing new to the most of you. but if my math is right, then this is new to me and tbh, i was a bit butt hurt to find out that 10 dimes doesnt equal a silver dollar.

 

[BigJim]

Coinflation.com is your friend.
Sorry,I missed the coinflation reference in your post.


GOD BLESS & BRING OUR TROOPS HOME!!!

 

[EASJ369]

silver dollars have more silver then a dollars worth of dimes quarters or halves. if i remember correctly dollars are .77 of an oz of silver while one dollar in face of junk is .72 of an oz. this is where your math isn't adding up i think

 

[oppie2005]

.77 is right.

24.057 / 31.1 = .77

i dont know why, i didnt even think to check the halves. Do you, by chance, know why there is less silver in a dollars worth of dimes, quarters, and halves?

 

[EASJ369]

i do not know but have wondered that myself, it would make sense to have it equal the same but i am assuming they had some logic as to why they have more in the actual dollars

 

[oppie2005]

i might have found the answer

"Arrows at the date in 1853 and 1873 indicated changes made in the coin's mass (from 2.67 grams to 2.49 grams in 1853, then to 2.50 grams in 1873). The first change was made in response to rising silver prices, while the latter alteration was brought about by the Mint Act of 1873 which, in an attempt to make U.S. coinage the currency of the world, added a small amount of mass to the dime, quarter, and half-dollar to bring their weights in line with fractions of the French 5-franc piece." - excerpt from dime wiki page

 

[EASJ369]

yeah i guess that is it, i looked up the weight of seated dollars and they are the same as morgans and peace dollars. so they lowered the rest and kept the dollar the same