United States quarters were once composed of 90% silver and 10% copper. These coins, often referred to as “silver quarters,” were a standard part of American currency. The composition change involved replacing the silver content with a clad layer of copper-nickel bonded to a core of pure copper.
The shift from silver to a clad composition was primarily driven by economic factors. Rising silver prices made the intrinsic value of the silver in the coins exceed their face value. Continuing to mint quarters with a high silver content would have led to them being hoarded and potentially melted down for their metal, disrupting the circulation of currency. This change allowed the government to stabilize the monetary system.