how much silver in a silver half dollar

[Riley]

The amount of silver in a United States half dollar is entirely dependent on the year the coin was minted. The composition of the coin has changed over time, directly affecting its precious metal content.

Based on the provided information, the Kennedy Half Dollar serves as a primary example of this variation. A Kennedy Half Dollar minted in 1964 is composed of 90% silver, which equates to a total silver content of 0.3617 troy ounces.

Following the 1964 issue, the silver content in these coins was reduced. The context indicates that subsequent versions of the Kennedy Half Dollar were produced with a 40% silver composition. In contrast, most modern Kennedy half dollars are minted from base metals and contain no silver at all, making the year of issue the critical factor in determining the coin's silver value.