are half dollars still made of silver

[LeMorgan]

That's a great question, and the answer is a little more than a simple yes or no!

For the half dollars intended for general circulation, the answer is no, they are no longer made of silver. The U.S. Mint stopped using silver in circulating half dollars after 1970. Since 1971, these coins have been made with a cupro-nickel clad composition, which is a mix of copper and nickel. In fact, since 2002, the Mint has not released half dollars for general circulation at all, instead selling them directly to collectors.

However, the story is different for older coins and special collector editions. Half dollars minted in 1964 and earlier were made of 90% silver. Then, from 1965 through 1970, their silver content was reduced to 40%.

To add a modern twist, the U.S. Mint does still produce special silver half dollars specifically for collectors. Since 1992, special proof sets for collectors have included half dollars made from either 90% or 99.9% silver. So, while you won't find a new silver half dollar in your pocket change, the Mint is still making them for the numismatic community.