A 1965 quarter does not contain silver. Quarters minted in 1964 and earlier, however, were composed of 90% silver and 10% copper. The composition of the quarter changed in 1965 to a clad composition of copper and nickel.
The switch from silver to clad coinage was primarily due to rising silver prices and a resulting coin shortage. The government needed to reduce the silver content in circulating coinage to stabilize the monetary system. This change marks a significant turning point in United States coinage history, influencing the collector value and intrinsic worth of pre-1965 silver coins.