The United States quarter, a circulating denomination of currency, historically contained a significant amount of silver. This composition changed, altering the intrinsic value of the coin.
The presence of silver in coinage gave it inherent worth beyond its face value. Economic factors, including rising silver prices, led to a re-evaluation of the metal composition of circulating coins. Maintaining the silver content would have made the cost of producing the coins greater than their monetary value, creating an unsustainable situation.