
The Franklin half dollar, which was minted by the United States from 1948 to 1963, has a standardized composition and weight. The coin is composed of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. The total weight of a Franklin half dollar is 12.50 grams. Based on this composition, the actual mass of pure silver contained within each coin is 11.25 grams.
For the purposes of bullion investment and numismatics, the silver content is typically measured in troy ounces. A standard, uncirculated Franklin half dollar contains an actual silver weight (ASW) of approximately 0.36169 troy ounces. This figure represents the net amount of pure silver in the coin and is the key metric used to calculate its intrinsic melt value based on the current market price of silver. The remaining weight is composed of copper, which was added to increase the coin's durability and hardness for circulation.


