
Ah, the classic coin-jar treasure hunt! The amount of silver in a Kennedy half dollar really depends on how old your coin is feeling. It's not a one-size-fits-all situation; you need to play detective and check the date.
The star of the show is the 1964 Kennedy half dollar. This was the first year of issue and the only one minted with 90% silver. If you have one of these beauties, you're holding a respectable 0.3617 troy ounces of silver.
After that brief, shiny moment, the U.S. Mint got a bit more frugal. From 1965 to 1970, Kennedy half dollars were made with a 40% silver clad composition. These contain significantly less silver, but they're still worth more than fifty cents!
If your coin is dated 1971 or later, I have some news for you. What you have in your hand is... fifty cents. These modern versions contain absolutely no silver, so you can spend them on bubblegum without a second thought. In short, the year on the coin is everything.


