how many ounces is a silver half dollar

[ManuelFitz]

Well, the provided search results were about as helpful as a chocolate teapot, offering a grand tour of website navigation but not a single useful number. So, let's set that aside and get to the real answer.

Asking how many ounces are in a silver half dollar is like asking how long a piece of string is—it depends on which piece you're holding! The U.S. Mint changed the recipe over the years, so you have to check the date on the coin.

For the classic, old-school half dollars minted in 1964 or earlier, you're looking at the heavyweight champion. These coins are 90% silver and contain about 0.3617 troy ounces of the good stuff. It takes just under three of these beauties to equal a full troy ounce of pure silver.

Then came the "diet" version. From 1965 to 1970, the Kennedy half dollars were made with a 40% silver composition. These lightweights contain only about 0.1479 troy ounces of silver. You'd need to round up nearly seven of them to get that same troy ounce.

So, before you can know the weight, you have to know the vintage. Always check the date, or you might be in for a silver surprise.