Kennedy
1972 half dollar
No silver
A 1972 half dollar pulled from circulation is copper-nickel clad. There is no silver in it, and its metal content is worth a few cents.
1972
Everything struck with this date
| Issue | Composition | Weight | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
Kennedy half dollar | Copper-nickel clad | 11.34 g | none |
Identifying it
A 1972 half dollar is a Kennedy, designed by Gilroy Roberts (obverse) and Frank Gasparro (reverse). The obverse shows John F. Kennedy facing left and the reverse the Presidential Seal, or Independence Hall on the Bicentennial issue. It measures 30.6mm across.
Mint mark: Reverse in 1964, none from 1965 to 1967, then obverse below the neck from 1968 onward.
Held side on, a 1972 half shows the copper core as a distinct orange-brown stripe running around the edge. That stripe is the single quickest way to tell a clad half from a silver one. The full check.
Weight and fineness are as set by statute and published by the United States Mint. The silver weight is calculated from them rather than transcribed. Melt value is that weight multiplied by the live silver spot price and is not an offer to buy or sell. Methodology.