What Half Dollars Are Silver? A Complete Guide

Half dollars offer a tangible connection to the nation’s past. They hold interest for their historical designs and precious metal content. Understanding which half dollars contain silver reveals their value beyond face currency, appealing to history enthusiasts and precious metal collectors.

Identifying 90% Silver Half Dollars

Half dollars minted in 1964 and earlier contain 90% silver and 10% copper. This category includes the Franklin Half Dollar series (1948-1963), the Walking Liberty Half Dollar series (1916-1947), and the 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar. To identify these coins, examine their edge; a solid, uniform silver appearance without any visible copper stripe indicates a 90% silver composition. The overall luster of these coins often appears distinctively brighter and whiter compared to later issues.

These 90% silver half dollars are valued primarily for their silver melt content, meaning their worth is tied to the current market price of silver rather than their fifty-cent face value. While some coins may also hold collector (numismatic) value based on their rarity, condition, or specific mint marks, their intrinsic silver content forms a baseline for their worth.

Identifying 40% Silver Half Dollars

Following the 90% silver issues, a transitional period introduced half dollars with a reduced silver content. The Kennedy Half Dollars minted between 1965 and 1970 contain 40% silver. These coins have a clad composition, meaning they are constructed with outer layers of 80% silver and 20% copper bonded to an inner core of 21% silver and 79% copper. This unique layering results in the overall 40% silver content.

Visually distinguishing these 40% silver half dollars involves checking the coin’s edge. While not a solid silver color, these coins will display a faint, often subtle, copper stripe along their edge. This is less pronounced than the obvious copper band seen on modern copper-nickel clad coins. The overall appearance might also seem slightly duller than the brighter gleam of 90% silver coins due to the lower precious metal percentage.

The Shift in Silver Composition

The change in the silver composition of U.S. coinage stemmed from economic pressures in the 1960s. The market price of silver began to rise, eventually exceeding the face value of the coins. This led to widespread hoarding of silver coins, as their metallic value became greater than their purchasing power. The U.S. Mint faced a dwindling supply of silver bullion, with consumption far outstripping new production.

To address this shortage and maintain a stable coinage system, Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1965. This legislation eliminated silver entirely from dimes and quarters and reduced the silver content of the half dollar from 90% to 40%. The transition aimed to prevent melting and ensure coins remained in circulation. By 1971, silver was entirely removed from circulating half dollars, which then transitioned to a copper-nickel clad composition, marking the end of silver in general circulation coinage.