United States half dollars contain varying amounts of silver depending on the year they were minted.
- Years: All half dollars minted in 1964 and earlier are composed of 90% silver and 10% copper.
- Examples:
– Walking Liberty half dollar (1916-1947).
– Franklin half dollar (1948-1963).
– Kennedy half dollar (1964).
- Years: Kennedy half dollars minted from 1965 to 1970 contain 40% silver.
- Content: These coins have an outer layer of 80% silver and 20% copper bonded to an inner core of 20.9% silver and 79.1% copper, resulting in an overall composition of 40% silver.
- Examples:
– Kennedy half dollar (1965-1970).
- Years: Half dollars minted after 1970 are generally made of a copper-nickel clad composition (25% nickel and 75% copper), containing no silver, except for specific collector editions or proof sets that may still contain silver.
- Date: Checking the year of mintage is the most straightforward way to determine if a half dollar contains silver.
- Weight: Silver halves weigh slightly more than clad coins. A 90% silver half dollar weighs 12.5 grams, and a 40% silver half weighs 11.5 grams.
- Edge: A solid silver edge indicates 90% silver, while a thin silver layer with a copper core indicates 40% silver. Clad coins show a distinctive copper center between silver-colored outer layers.
Which Kennedy halves are 40% silver?
Thanks for asking. The only coin that continued to be made in silver was the Kennedy Half Dollar which was made in 40% silver for circulation only in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969. This set includes all five of these 40% silver coins. After 1969, no circulating coins of any denomination were ever made in silver again.
Are all 1964 half dollars 90% silver?
From 1964 to 1965, these coins were struck with 90% silver. However, in 1965, due to the rising price of silver, the composition was changed to 40% silver and 60% copper, marking a significant shift in the material makeup of Kennedy half dollars.
Are 1970 Kennedy halves 40% silver?
The 1970-S Kennedy half dollar coin is a proof coin minted in San Francisco with a composition of 40% silver. This coin was mint proof and features a design of President John F. Kennedy on the obverse.