United States Half DollarsComplete U.S. Half Dollar Series Guide
Flowing Hair to Kennedy • 230+ Years of American Silver & Clad Coinage
Value Overview by Series
Values shown are broad approximate ranges for common-date circulated examples within each series. See each series' dedicated guide for complete date-by-date values and key dates.
| Series | Years | Composition | Common Date Range | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowing Hair / Draped Bust / Capped Bust | 1794–1839 | 90% Silver | $100–$500+ | View Guide → |
| Seated Liberty | 1839–1891 | 90% Silver | $75–$200+ | View Guide → |
| Barber | 1892–1915 | 90% Silver | $15–$50+ | View Guide → |
| Walking Liberty | 1916–1947 | 90% Silver | $15–$40+ | View Guide → |
| Franklin | 1948–1963 | 90% Silver | $12–$25+ | View Guide → |
| Kennedy (silver era) | 1964–1970 | 90% / 40% Silver | $8–$15+ | View Guide → |
| Kennedy (clad era) | 1971–present | Copper-Nickel Clad | $0.50–$2+ | View Guide → |
The History of the U.S. Half Dollar
The half dollar has been struck in nearly every year since 1794, making it one of the longest-running denominations in American coinage history — a 230-year span that has seen the coin pass through nearly every major design era of U.S. numismatics, from the earliest Flowing Hair silver coinage authorized under the Coinage Act of 1792 through today's Kennedy half dollar. One notable exception is 1816, when a fire destroyed the rolling mills at the Philadelphia Mint and halted half dollar production for the entire year — any half dollar bearing that date is a counterfeit or altered coin. Valued at fifty cents, the half dollar occupied a genuinely important role in American commerce for most of its history, particularly in the 19th century when it represented a meaningful sum for everyday transactions.
Across its long run, the half dollar has been struck in 90% silver (1794–1964), a transitional 40% silver composition (1965–1970), and the modern copper-nickel clad composition used since 1971. This progression of design changes and metal composition shifts means the half dollar series, taken as a whole, offers one of the most complete and historically rich overviews of American monetary history available in a single denomination — making it a natural entry point for collectors interested in tracing the full arc of U.S. coin design.
Every U.S. Half Dollar Series
The half dollar has passed through eight major design types, grouped here into six series. Click any series below for a dedicated guide with date-by-date values, key dates, and grading information.
Early Half Dollars
Seated Liberty
Barber
Walking Liberty
Franklin
Kennedy
Silver Content Across the Series
Understanding the half dollar's changing metal composition is essential for both collectors and anyone evaluating a coin's bullion value. From 1794 through 1964, half dollars were struck in 90% silver, giving pre-1965 examples approximately 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver — meaning even the most common circulated dates carry real melt value well above face value at current silver prices. In 1965, facing a national silver shortage as bullion prices rose, the Mint transitioned briefly to a 40% silver composition for the Kennedy half dollar (1965–1970) before moving to the fully clad, silver-free composition used from 1971 to today.
This means date recognition alone tells you a great deal about a half dollar's intrinsic value: any half dollar dated 1964 or earlier is 90% silver, any dated 1965–1970 is 40% silver, and any dated 1971 or later contains no silver at all. This simple rule of thumb is one of the most useful pieces of knowledge for anyone sorting through inherited coins or evaluating a found half dollar's baseline worth before considering numismatic premiums.
Collecting the Half Dollar Denomination
The half dollar's exceptional 230-year design history makes it a rewarding denomination for type collectors specifically — building a complete type set with one representative example of each major design (Flowing Hair, Draped Bust, Capped Bust, Seated Liberty, Barber, Walking Liberty, Franklin, and Kennedy) provides a genuinely comprehensive overview of American coin design evolution in a single, manageable collecting project. Because common-date examples of most later series are widely available and affordable, a complete type set is achievable for most collectors without requiring pursuit of the denomination's rarest key dates.
For collectors focused on silver content and bullion value, pre-1965 half dollars (commonly called "junk silver" in the bullion trade when in worn, non-collectible condition) offer a straightforward way to acquire meaningful silver holdings while still retaining some numismatic character. PCGS and NGC both grade half dollars across every series, and certification becomes increasingly important as coin value rises — particularly for the earlier 18th and 19th century types where authentication and condition assessment carry more weight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the oldest half dollar series?
How can I tell if my half dollar is silver?
What is the most valuable half dollar series?
Why did the Kennedy half dollar composition change in 1965 and again in 1971?
Are old half dollars a good investment?
What is a good starting point for collecting half dollars?
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