how much silver in a 1971 kennedy half dollar

[EmilioLynn]

Hello! That's a great question, as the silver content in Kennedy half dollars can be a bit tricky since it changed over the years.

A standard 1971 Kennedy half dollar intended for general circulation contains no silver. Its value is based on its face value of fifty cents, unless it's an uncirculated or proof coin in exceptional condition.

As the provided information highlights, the amount of silver in a Kennedy half dollar depends entirely on the year it was minted. The very first ones, from 1964, were made of 90% silver. This was changed, and from 1965 to 1970, they contained 40% silver.

By 1971, the U.S. Mint had removed all silver from circulating Kennedy half dollars. Instead, they were made with a copper-nickel clad composition, which means they have a copper core with outer layers of a copper and nickel alloy. So, while the earlier coins are valued for their silver, the 1971 version is a different kind of collectible.