Kennedy half dollar value
1964 Kennedy halves are 90% silver and worth their silver content. 1965–1970 halves are 40% silver and worth less, but still above face value. Halves from 1971 on are copper-nickel and usually worth 50 cents unless uncirculated, proof or an error.
Reviewed October 15, 2026
Key facts
| 1964 | 90% silver, 0.3617 troy oz |
|---|---|
| 1965–1970 | 40% silver, 0.1479 troy oz |
| 1971 and later | Copper-nickel clad (no silver), except special silver proof sets |
| Mints | Philadelphia (no mark or P), Denver (D), San Francisco (S, mostly proofs) |
How to identify yours
- Read the date on the front, under the portrait.
- Check the edge: solid silver for 1964, a faint stripe for 1965–1970, a clear copper stripe from 1971.
- Find the mint mark on the front, above the date.
- Look for a mirror-like finish, which suggests a proof coin from a set.
Which ones are worth more
- 1964 Accented Hair proof
- An early proof variety with extra hair detail; much rarer than the regular 1964 proof.
- High-grade uncirculated coins
- Coins graded at the top of the scale sell for large premiums over silver value.
- Errors
- Off-center strikes, doubled dies and wrong-planchet errors attract collectors.
What most are worth
Circulated 1964 halves trade near silver value; 1965–1970 halves at their lower silver value; clad halves from circulation are usually worth face value.
Tips before you sell
- Separate 1964, 1965–1970 and later coins before you sell.
- Sell proofs in their original packaging when you have it.
- Have possible errors checked by a dealer or grading service.
Why so many of these exist
The Kennedy half dollar was authorised within weeks of the assassination in November 1963 and struck from 1964. The public response was immediate and overwhelming: people kept them as mementoes rather than spending them, and the coin effectively never circulated in the way a half dollar was supposed to. Enormous numbers were saved from the start.
The composition changed quickly and in stages, which is the source of most of the confusion around this coin. The 1964 issue is ninety per cent silver. From 1965 to 1970 the half was struck in a forty per cent silver clad composition. From 1971 onwards the circulating coin contains no silver at all, with silver versions produced only for collectors in special sets.
Because so many were hoarded and because the denomination fell out of everyday use, the series is abundant in high grade and short on scarcity. The practical question for almost everyone holding a handful is simply which composition they have, and that is answered by the date alone.
What condition means here
- Circulated, 1971 and later
- No silver content and vast mintages. These are worth face value. There is no condition at which an ordinary clad Kennedy becomes valuable through wear alone.
- Circulated, 1965 to 1970
- Forty per cent silver. Worth its metal content, which is well under that of a 1964 coin but well above face value. Sold in bulk by dealers much like other junk silver.
- Circulated 1964
- Ninety per cent silver and the highest metal content in the series. Trades on silver for ordinary examples, with a small premium for sharp strikes.
- Uncirculated and proof
- Saved in quantity from the beginning, so mint-state examples are common and the premium over melt is modest for most dates. Exceptional strikes and certain special issues are the exceptions.
Traps specific to this one
Every well-known collectable attracts its own fakes and its own misunderstandings. These are the ones that come up again and again with this item.
- Assuming every old half is 90% silver
- The 1965 to 1970 coins look identical and contain less than half the silver. Pricing them as 1964 coins is the most common error in this series.
- Expecting a premium for sentiment
- The coin's historical significance does not translate into scarcity, because that significance is precisely why so many were saved.
- Breaking up collector sets
- Silver proof and mint sets from later years are worth more intact, in their original packaging, than as loose coins.
- Cleaning to improve the look
- As with any coin, cleaning removes original surfaces and eliminates any collector premium while gaining nothing on the metal value.
How to read the sold listings
Filter sold listings by date range first, since the three compositions are three different products sharing one design. For 1965 to 1970 coins, check whether a lot is priced on silver content or on face value, as both appear and they are far apart. For uncirculated examples, look at graded sales rather than raw ones, because the series is common enough in high grade that buyers rely on certification to distinguish genuinely exceptional coins from merely untouched ones.
Estimate yours from a photo
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Common questions
Is a 1971 Kennedy half dollar silver?
No. Circulation halves from 1971 on are copper-nickel. Some later proof sets contain silver halves.
What is a 1970-D half dollar?
The 1970-D was issued only in mint sets, not for circulation, and is 40% silver. It is the scarcest regular date of the 40% years.
Are bicentennial half dollars valuable?
Most 1776–1976 halves are clad and worth face value. Silver versions were sold in special collector sets.