Why is it so hard to find silver quarters? I find 20(?) silver dimes to every 1 quarter. Clad around 2 to 1. Silver quarters seem more elusive than half's. I don't think the older detectors had a hard time finding the silver dimes so were people that much more careful with quarters or what??
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The elusive silver quarters.
- Thread starter MuddyMo
- Start date
Dancer
Well-known member
Good queston Muddly. Even in my Clad sites the first to go are the Quarters. Leaving the deeper dimes and nickels. I believe because they make the best sounding and strongest targets for most machines. I guess in the days of Silver a quarter was proberly worth about 50 cents in todays currency. When I do blunder into silver lately its a dime.
My silver quarter to dime ratios are a little better then your mentioned 20 to 1. Thus far this year I have recovered 36 silver dimes and 8 silver quarters. Nearly a 4 to 1 ratio. Looking back over the last couple of years, silver dimes to quarters ratios were for me about the same. But, my clad ratio's, though, are like yours, almost 1 quarter to 2 dimes. This is my first year ever tracking clad numbers. Past years I just tracked $ amounts found annually. Site type, site age, maybe area's in general, might come into play. Interesting, never gave ratios much thought. HH jim tn
still looking 52
Well-known member
Here in this area WV, the silver quarter ratio is about 10 to 1 compared to silver dimes, but ratio for finding a silver half is even higher, like 100 to 1.
Sounds like this ratio may be just in your area?
Sounds like this ratio may be just in your area?
fwcrawford
Well-known member
I tend to agree with this theory in that silver quarters are easier to spot than silver dimes when dropped.
As far as finding lots of clad quarters nowadays, people are not as likely to pick up dropped coins as much as they used to.
I have searched yards and found plenty of wheats, but not one silver coin.. dime or quarter… my thought is they could see the dime, but not the penny.
Just my thoughts.
Also in my area, people do not seems to be interested in clad hunting, so nearby schools have been loaded with clad quarters as well as other clad.
fwcrawford
Well-known member
That is a very good question!!
I still think it boils down to less silver quarters being over all minted. I think if one was to run a tally of silver minted quarters, about 1800 to 1964, they would be considerable fewer then clad quarters, with a lesser mintage time span. One can't find some thing that's not there. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it. HH jim tn
Missouri -- Ma Betty
Well-known member
Hello Folks!! Might I suggest that the lost Quarters & Even Halves were easier to find when I was detecting? My ex & I joined our Coin Club in 1980 & he started detecting in 1981 & then I did--bought me a detectot so he could use his own!!! 
There were lots more silver found in the 80's, 90's & even in the 2000's depending on the areas hunted as many were Treasure Hunting by then! Testing newer places often found the quarters easier than the dimes & clads didn't start until 1965--20 years later the swinging & digging became more & more plentiful & what was left nearer to the surface was found first--thus silver Dimes, Quarters & even halves & dollars, although they sank deeper faster in wet & swampy soils & lost in lakes & ponds when boating (like the boating lake in Forest Park, St. Louis, Mo & other large lakes for sometimes the boats capsized & purses & wallets & pockets emptied trying to swim out were lost in the deep water (very old coins) going back to the 1904 World's Fair! These lakes are drained & cleaned out when needed & the gumbo soil allowed to DRY & be spread in areas of the parks!
Although people were detecting earlier with detectors that sure weren't finding treasure like todays sophisticated detectors & accessories, the larger silver coins & lost valuble items could be found first! Just think, the 80's were 20 years from the minting of silver coinage & now 2020's (50 to 60 years) to sink deeper or more difficult to find as the Silver Halves, Quarters & Dimes have to be scarcer & places with less detecting have to be found but when are--the older the dates of coins dug is a happy dance! I used to find lots of Silver Quarterss & Dimes when I first started (the 80') & although I never found a Silver Dollar --I did find Silver Halves--sometimes 2-3 or more in one hunting depending on the parks & areas hunted!
Rings were there & found but lots harder as people would look closer to find a lost ring & also when they lost larger coins, because not everyone had plenty of money for living! The brighter the coin, the easier found by others & the larger ones , also! ,As I read about & see your nice Coins it still amazes me that so many silver & even gold ones are still being dug up BUT Detectors & equipment are far more advanced and there weren't any Pinpointers when I was MD'ing! Oh, also less places to go because of all the NUTTY People & neighborhoods where I used to detect, would be too dangerous & putting you & any hunting partners' lives at RISK! Happy Hunting & Happy, Safe Hunting Grounds! Ma
There were lots more silver found in the 80's, 90's & even in the 2000's depending on the areas hunted as many were Treasure Hunting by then! Testing newer places often found the quarters easier than the dimes & clads didn't start until 1965--20 years later the swinging & digging became more & more plentiful & what was left nearer to the surface was found first--thus silver Dimes, Quarters & even halves & dollars, although they sank deeper faster in wet & swampy soils & lost in lakes & ponds when boating (like the boating lake in Forest Park, St. Louis, Mo & other large lakes for sometimes the boats capsized & purses & wallets & pockets emptied trying to swim out were lost in the deep water (very old coins) going back to the 1904 World's Fair! These lakes are drained & cleaned out when needed & the gumbo soil allowed to DRY & be spread in areas of the parks! Although people were detecting earlier with detectors that sure weren't finding treasure like todays sophisticated detectors & accessories, the larger silver coins & lost valuble items could be found first! Just think, the 80's were 20 years from the minting of silver coinage & now 2020's (50 to 60 years) to sink deeper or more difficult to find as the Silver Halves, Quarters & Dimes have to be scarcer & places with less detecting have to be found but when are--the older the dates of coins dug is a happy dance! I used to find lots of Silver Quarterss & Dimes when I first started (the 80') & although I never found a Silver Dollar --I did find Silver Halves--sometimes 2-3 or more in one hunting depending on the parks & areas hunted!
Rings were there & found but lots harder as people would look closer to find a lost ring & also when they lost larger coins, because not everyone had plenty of money for living! The brighter the coin, the easier found by others & the larger ones , also! ,As I read about & see your nice Coins it still amazes me that so many silver & even gold ones are still being dug up BUT Detectors & equipment are far more advanced and there weren't any Pinpointers when I was MD'ing! Oh, also less places to go because of all the NUTTY People & neighborhoods where I used to detect, would be too dangerous & putting you & any hunting partners' lives at RISK! Happy Hunting & Happy, Safe Hunting Grounds! Ma