Cavalcade of Clad Curiosities

60 YEARS OF CLAD COINAGE OFFERS RARITIES GALORE

- BY JOSHUA MCMORROW-HERNANDEZ

The year 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the United States Mint's production of copper-nickel clad coinage. Rising silver prices in the early 1960s led to the widespread hoarding of 90% silver coinage, making it more valuable as bullion than spending money.

The Coinage Act of 1965 mandated the removal of silver from circulating dimes and quarters and reduction of silver content in the half dollar from 90% to 40%. Half dollars went to a cupro-nickel clad format in 1971 with the passage of a 1970 coinage law that also authorized the creation of the Eisenhower dollarthe largest copper-nickel clad ever struck for circulation in the United States to date.

Many collectors were less than enthusiastic about the changes. Yet, those who embraced clad coinage know the plethora of exciting opportunities to collect rare and valuable modern coins that may be off the radars of many numismatic traditionalists.

There is at least one copper-nickel U.S. coin worth more than a halfmillion dollars. Many others are worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.

GETTING THE LAY OF THE LAND

The U.S. Mint produces only one circulating denomination these days that is not a clad coin or one made from layers of metal. That lone non-clad coin is the nickel, which is struck from an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel.

The U.S. Mint began striking clad versions of coins formerly made of 90% silver in 1965. Other clad coinage followed.