what was the last year the kennedy half dollar has silver in it

[MacLandon]

Hello there! That's a great question about a very popular coin. The answer can be a little tricky, but based on the provided information and a broader history, the last year a Kennedy half dollar intended for general circulation contained silver was 1970.

The story of silver in these coins happened in a few stages. As one of the sources mentions, the very first Kennedy half dollars minted in 1964 were made of 90% silver. These are the most silver-rich coins in the series.

After that, from 1965 through 1970, the U.S. Mint continued to include silver in the half dollars, but they reduced the content to 40%. So, 1970 marks the final year that these 40% silver half dollars were produced for circulation.

Starting in 1971, the Kennedy half dollars made for everyday use were switched to a copper-nickel composition and no longer contained any silver. While the U.S. Mint has made special silver proof versions for collectors in more recent years, 1970 was the end of the line for silver in the Kennedy half dollars you could get at the bank.