Silver · US 40%
Kennedy half dollars struck from 1965 to 1970 are 40% silver, containing 0.1479 troy ounces of pure silver each — less than half that of a 90% half dollar.
| Quantity | Melt value |
|---|---|
| 1 | — |
| 5 | — |
| 10 | — |
| 20 | — |
| 100 | — |
Live spot via gold-api.com. Melt value = spot × 0.1479 troy oz of fine metal.
Open the full calculator →When silver was removed from most US coins in 1965, the half dollar was kept at a reduced 40% silver. These Kennedy halves weigh 11.5 grams and contain 0.1479 troy ounces of pure silver per coin.
They are still worth well above their 50-cent face value and are easy to find in circulation, which makes them a popular low-cost way to accumulate silver. The figure above is the live melt value of one coin.
| Series | Kennedy Half Dollar |
| Years | 1965–1970 (40% silver) |
| Composition | 40% silver · 60% copper |
| Gross weight | 11.5 g |
| Pure silver | 0.1479 troy oz |
| Face value | $0.50 |
Melt value is the value of the metal in the coin, ignoring any collector premium:
Where the fine-metal content is known, this simplifies to spot × 0.1479 oz. The live figure at the top of this page applies that formula to the current spot price.
Illustrative melt values (per coin) at example spot prices — shown for reference only; the live figure above uses the real market price:
| Example spot | Melt value |
|---|---|
| $25.00 | $3.70 |
| $35.00 | $5.18 |
| $50.00 | $7.40 |
A 1965–1970 Kennedy half dollar contains 0.1479 troy ounces of pure silver. It is 40% silver by weight and weighs 11.5 g.
Kennedy half dollars dated 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970 are 40% silver. The 1964 issue is 90% silver, and 1971 and later are clad.
No. Only the half dollar kept silver after 1964 — and at 40%. Quarters and dimes dated 1965 and later contain no silver.
Yes — it still holds 0.1479 oz of silver and is worth well above face value. It is simply lower grade silver than the 90% coins.
This page values one coin. The Silver Stacking Spreadsheet keeps the whole record — every coin, what you paid, and your running profit or loss, auto-calculated from the spot price you enter.