United States dimes minted in 1964 and earlier contained 90% silver and 10% copper. These coins are often referred to as “silver dimes” due to their composition. An example: a dime dated 1945 will typically contain a considerable amount of silver.
The presence of silver in older dimes makes them valuable beyond their face value. This intrinsic metal content provides a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. Historically, the switch away from silver coinage reflected rising silver prices and the economic impracticality of maintaining the silver standard for small denominations.