Hello! That's a great question about the 1981 Kennedy half dollar.
In most situations, a 1981 fifty-cent coin that you might find in circulation is worth its face value of 50 cents. These coins are made from a copper-nickel alloy and do not contain any silver, so their value is tied to their collectibility rather than precious metal content.
The provided search results help identify the important factors that determine a coin's value, which are its condition and its mint mark. For 1981, these coins were produced at two different mints: Philadelphia (which will have a "P" mint mark) and Denver (with a "D" mint mark). You can find this small letter on the front (obverse) of the coin, just above the date.
The biggest factor in determining a higher value is the coin's condition. If the coin is in uncirculated, or "Mint State," condition, it is worth more to a collector. An uncirculated coin looks brand new, with no signs of wear and its original luster intact. A typical uncirculated 1981-P or 1981-D half dollar is generally worth around $2 to $5. If the coin has been professionally graded and is in a very high state of preservation, its value can climb higher.
An interesting fact about this particular year is that the U.S. Mint did not produce Kennedy half dollars for general circulation in 1981; they were only issued in official collector Mint Sets. This means that while they aren't rare, finding one in your change is less common than other years.
So, to summarize, a circulated 1981 half dollar is worth 50 cents, but one in pristine, like-new condition could be worth a few dollars to a collector.
