how many ounces of silver are in a half dollar

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The amount of silver contained in a United States half dollar is entirely dependent on the year it was minted. The composition of the coin changed significantly over time, resulting in three distinct categories regarding silver content.

For half dollars minted in 1964 or earlier, which includes the Franklin, Walking Liberty, Barber, and the 1964 Kennedy half dollar, the composition is 90% silver and 10% copper. These coins contain 0.36169 troy ounces of pure silver. This is the standard figure most commonly associated with traditional U.S. silver coinage.

From 1965 through 1970, the composition of the Kennedy half dollar was altered to a 40% silver-clad structure. These coins have an outer layer of 80% silver and 20% copper bonded to an inner core that brings the coin's total silver content to 40%. A 40% silver half dollar contains approximately 0.1479 troy ounces of pure silver.

Beginning in 1971, the U.S. Mint ceased using silver for circulating half dollars. Coins produced for general circulation from that year forward are made of a copper-nickel clad composition and contain no silver. Therefore, to determine the silver content of a half dollar, one must first identify its year of mintage.