2001 half dollar
A 2001 half dollar pulled from circulation is copper-nickel clad. There is no silver in it, and its metal content is worth a few cents.
| Issue | Composition | Weight | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
Kennedy half dollar | Copper-nickel clad | 11.34 g | none |
Silver proof (S) Sold only in the annual silver proof set. | 90% silver | 12.50 g | 0.3617 ozt |
What matters about 2001
The last year half dollars were struck for general circulation until 2021. Demand had collapsed and the Mint was sitting on a large surplus.
Identifying it
A 2001 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 2001 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.