how much silver is in a 1971 kennedy half dollar

[AnastasiaAnn]

Hello! Thanks for asking such a great question about coin collecting.

A 1971 Kennedy half dollar that was made for general circulation contains no silver at all. Its value is just its face value of 50 cents, unless it's in uncirculated condition.

As the provided information highlights, the amount of silver in a Kennedy half dollar really depends on the year it was minted. The composition changed over time. The original 1964 Kennedy half dollars were made of 90% silver. From 1965 to 1970, they were made with a 40% silver clad composition. However, starting in 1971, the U.S. Mint removed silver entirely from the half dollars intended for circulation, switching to a copper-nickel clad composition.

So, while earlier Kennedy half dollars are valued for their silver content, your 1971 coin is from the first year they were produced without any silver for public use.