When silver was removed from US coinage in 1965, one coin got a stay of execution: the Kennedy half dollar, barely a year old and hugely popular, kept silver in a reduced 40% form until 1971. That is why half dollars are the one denomination where the date check has three answers instead of two.
Kennedy half dollar timeline
| Dates | Composition | Weight | Silver content |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 90% silver | 12.50 g | 0.3617 ozt |
| 1965–1970 | 40% silver (silver-clad) | 11.50 g | 0.1479 ozt |
| 1971–present | Copper-nickel clad | 11.34 g | None |
The 40% coins are “silver-clad”: outer layers of 80% silver bonded to a core of about 21% silver, netting 40% overall. Earlier halves — Walking Liberty (1916–1947), Franklin (1948–1963) and Barber (1892–1915) — are all 90% silver like the 1964 Kennedy.
How to tell them apart
- Date is definitive: 1964 = 90%, 1965–1970 = 40%, 1971+ = clad (with the collector exceptions below).
- Edge: a 90% half has a solid silver edge; a clad half shows a bold copper stripe. The 40% half is the in-between case — its edge shows only a faint, subdued copper tone that takes practice to spot.
- Weight: 12.5 g vs 11.5 g vs 11.34 g — a pocket scale separates 90% from the other two instantly.
Collector exceptions worth knowing
- 1976-S Bicentennial halves (and quarters and dollars) from special mint and proof sets are 40% silver.
- 1971–1976 S-mint Eisenhower dollarssold by the Mint (“Blue” and “Brown” Ikes) are 40% silver — 0.3161 ozt each.
- Silver proof Kennedys from 1992 on are 90% (then .999 from 2019).
Which should you stack?
Per ounce of silver, 40% halves are usually the cheapest junk silver on the market — they typically carry the lowest premium and sometimes sell below melt, because refiners pay less for low-grade material and the coins are bulky. The flip side: they are also harder to sell at a good price. 90% silver is the more liquid, more recognizable product and the better default; 40% makes sense as a value play if the discount is wide.
Count both kinds in the US silver coin calculator — it values 90% and 40% halves separately at the live spot price. For background on the 90% market, start with what is junk silver.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 1965 half dollar silver?
Yes — Kennedy half dollars dated 1965 through 1970 are 40% silver, containing 0.1479 troy ounces each. They are the only circulating US coin from after 1964 with silver in it.
Why does 40% silver sell at a discount?
Refining cost. Extracting silver from 40% halves costs more per recovered ounce than from 90% coins, and the coins are bulkier per ounce of silver to ship and store. Dealers pass that on as a lower bid relative to melt.
Are any dollar coins 40% silver?
Yes. Eisenhower dollars sold by the Mint as collector issues from 1971 to 1976 with an S mint mark are 40% silver (0.3161 ozt each). Circulating Ike dollars are copper-nickel clad with no silver.