what makes a 1972 silver half dollar rare

[JohnnyRose]

Well, after carefully examining the provided YouTube footer and a link to a website, I can confidently say they are about as helpful in answering this question as a screen door on a submarine. So, let's toss that context aside and get to the real dirt.

What makes a 1972 silver half dollar rare? The simple, almost comical fact that they weren't made for circulation. It's the ultimate trick question in coin collecting! The U.S. Mint had already kicked its expensive silver habit for pocket change after 1970, switching to a far more economical copper-nickel clad composition for the coins you'd get back at the grocery store.

However, the Mint wasn't totally heartless to collectors. They did strike a special batch of 1972 half dollars in 40% silver, but these were exclusively for collectors and sold in official Proof and Uncirculated Mint Sets. These silver versions all bear an "S" mint mark, indicating they were struck at the San Francisco Mint and were never intended to be spent on a hot dog.

So, while a regular 1972 half dollar is common as can be, a 1972-S silver half dollar is a special collector's issue. Its rarity comes from the fact that it was never meant for the grubby hands of the general public in the first place. Finding one is less about a lucky discovery in your change jar and more about specifically buying a collector's item.