how much does a 1964 silver half dollar weigh

[SanChristopher]

Ah, the classic 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar, a real heavyweight from a bygone era of coin-making. According to the chitchat among collectors, the official, respectable weight you're looking for is 12.5 grams.

This very topic sparked a lively discussion on a Kitco forum where a collector found a suspiciously hefty 1964 half dollar tipping the scales at a scandalous 12.9 grams. Their other, more well-behaved coins all weighed in at the expected 12.5 or 12.4 grams, which accounts for a tiny bit of wear and tear over the decades.

That 12.5-gram figure is the magic number because the 1964 coin was the last of the Kennedy halves to be minted with a glorious 90% silver composition. After that, the U.S. Mint put the coins on a diet, drastically reducing their silver content and weight. So, if you have a 1964 half dollar that weighs 12.5 grams, it's right on the money. If it weighs much more, you might have what one forum poster called a "fishy" situation on your hands.