From Silver to Clad: How the Diameter of a Dime Stayed Constant Through History
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
By 1964, the price of silver was racing past $1.29 per troy ounce. At that price point, the bullion value of a silver dime equaled its ten-cent face value. As market prices climbed higher, holding or spending silver coins became financially irrational. Americans began hoarding dimes, quarters, and half dollars by the millions. Silver vanished from cash registers, creating severe cash shortages across retail businesses.
President Lyndon B. Johnson addressed the nation in mid-1965, warning that the federal government could not continue pouring scarce silver into everyday pocket change. Congress quickly passed the Coinage Act of 1965, terminating silver production for circulating dimes and quarters.
The technical challenge was severe. The Mint needed an inexpensive base metal that mimicked the physical and electrical behavior of silver. Treasury technicians selected a cupronickel clad composite: an outer layer consisting of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel, metallurgically bonded to a solid inner core of pure copper.
| Specification Metric | Silver Dime (Pre-1965) | Clad Dime (1965, Present) |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 17.91 mm (0.705 inches) | 17.91 mm (0.705 inches) |
| Thickness | 1.35 mm (0.053 inches) | 1.35 mm (0.053 inches) |
| Weight | 2.500 grams | 2.268 grams |
| Composition | 90% Silver, 10% Copper | 91.67% Cu, 8.33% Ni (Clad) |
| Edge Profile | 118 reeds (silver core) | 118 reeds (exposed copper core) |
Because copper and nickel are less dense than silver, the overall weight dropped by roughly 9.3 percent, moving from 2.500 grams down to 2.268 grams. Yet the outer envelope, the crucial 17.91 mm diameter and 1.35 mm thickness, remained completely identical.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
