Ah, the 1776-1976 Bicentennial Kennedy half dollar! It's the coin that seems to pop up in every dusty drawer and forgotten piggy bank, sparking dreams of hidden treasure. So, is it your ticket to a lavish lifestyle on a private island? Let's not pack your bags just yet.
The value of your coin really comes down to a tale of two metals. The vast majority of these half dollars, churned out in staggering numbers of over half a billion, are made of a copper-nickel blend. Because they are about as rare as finding a pop song on the radio, their value is typically... well, 50 cents. If you have a particularly shiny, uncirculated one that has never been scarred by a vending machine, you might get a couple of bucks for it from a collector, much like the one listed online.
However, there is a more interesting, silver-clad sibling to this coin. The U.S. Mint also produced a collector's version containing 40% silver. These special Bicentennial halves weren't meant for everyday circulation and are worth more. Their base value is tied to the fluctuating price of silver, but you can generally expect them to be worth at least a few dollars for their metal content alone.
So, how do you tell which one you have? The easiest way is to look at the edge of the coin. If you see a distinct copper-colored stripe sandwiched in the middle, you have the common clad version. If the edge is a solid silver color, congratulations, you've got the more valuable silver edition. Either way, it's a cool piece of American history, even if it won't pay off your mortgage.
