Been in the USA for a few weeks and I've kept every coin I received in change to check for silver and copper and here's the results: Halves:- 22 with silver. 0 Quarters:- 212. with silver. 0 Dimes:- 302. with silver. 0 Pennies:- 583. Pre 82 with 97% copper 69. Seems there are no or hardly any silver content coins in circulation and at best 10% of the pennies circulating contain copper. Nickels or the 5c piece are all now worth about 5.02 cents in Nickel content so I guess they will be next to be debased.
I have found a couple of 40% quarters recently, but that is unusual. Earlier this year, I bought two boxes of kennedy halves from the treasury. Out of 2000 half dollars, I did not find a single pre 1970 half dollar. Monumental waste of time.
Most US coins containing silver have been plucked from circulation decades ago. It's a waste of time to look now. Sometimes people don't know what they have though...reminds me of the time, about three years ago, a gas-station clerk gave me a Morgan silver dollar as change. Pre-1982 copper pennies might be worthwhile though...if you've got enough storage area. Copper is worth quite a bit more than the paper copper spot price. Cu sells for more than USD$6/lb at the local industrial metal supply house. Copper bullion can be displayed in plain view and is a great heavy/bulky distraction for theives hoping to get thier hands on your real stack.
I check my change all the time. It's pretty rare to find 90% silver coins still in circulation, but I do find them from time to time. I have had most success/luck finding 90% dimes than quarters or half dollars.
