how much silver in a 1951 franklin half dollar

[VanHaven]

Ah, an excellent question! It seems you're looking for the real value in old Ben's visage, beyond just fifty cents. It's a wise move; that coin is much more than just pocket change.

According to the provided information from Littleton Coin Company, the 1951 Franklin half dollar was "struck in 90% silver." This means the coin isn't pure silver, but it's the next best thing for a circulating coin. The other 10% is copper, which was added to make the coin durable enough to withstand the rigors of commerce back in the day.

To get down to the specific numbers, a Franklin half dollar contains approximately 0.36169 troy ounces of pure silver. The total weight of the coin is 12.5 grams, so the actual silver content comes out to 11.25 grams. So while Ben Franklin may have been famous for flying a kite, the real electricity comes from the precious metal content in his namesake coin.