how much does a silver half dollar weigh in grams

[PiperFitz]

Well, the provided search results were about as helpful as a screen door on a submarine, offering a grand tour of website navigation but zero grams of actual information. So, let's toss that aside and dip into the coin jar of knowledge.

Asking how much a silver half dollar weighs is a bit like asking how long a piece of string is—it depends on which piece you're holding! Not all silver half dollars were created equal, you see.

The original heavyweights, minted from 1892 all the way up to 1964 (this includes your Barber, Walking Liberty, Franklin, and the 1964 Kennedy halves), tip the scales at a respectable 12.5 grams. These coins were the real deal, containing 90% pure silver.

Then, from 1965 to 1970, the half dollar went on a bit of a diet. These "silver-clad" Kennedy half dollars weighed a slightly lighter 11.5 grams and had their silver content slashed to 40%. After 1970, the U.S. Mint gave up on silver for circulation coins altogether, so anything after that is a different beast entirely.

So, the short answer is: if it's from 1964 or earlier, it's 12.5 grams. If it's a silver-ish one from 1965-1970, it's 11.5 grams. The date on the coin is the key to its weight.