40% Silver Kennedy Half Dollars
April 3rd, 2009
After only one year of production, the Kennedy Half Dollar saw its composition changed. The same year, the compositions of the dime and quarter were also changed to remove their silver content. Some silver was still retained for the composition of the Kennedy Half. The composition consisted of an outer layer composed of 80% copper and 20% nickel with a core of 20.9% silver and 79.1% copper. This yielded a net composition of 40% silver and 60% copper. This composition was used from 1965 until 1970, when the series was switched to the copper nickel clad composition. The 40% silver was used briefly once again for Bicentennial Kennedy Half Dollars produced for collectors in 1976.
40% Silver Kennedy Half Dollar Coin Specifications
| Dates: | 1965-1970 |
| 1976 | |
| Mints: | Philadelphia (1965-1967) |
| Denver (1968-1970) | |
| San Francisco (1976) | |
| Composition: | 40% silver |
| 60% copper | |
| Weight: | 11.50 grams |
| 0.37 ounces | |
| Diameter: | 30.61 mm |
| 1.21 inches |