United States half {dollars} produced in 1971 didn’t comprise silver. Following the Coinage Act of 1965, the composition of circulating dimes, quarters, and half {dollars} modified from 90% silver to a clad composition of copper-nickel bonded to a core of pure copper. Due to this fact, Kennedy half {dollars} minted in 1971 are composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel.
The elimination of silver from circulating coinage was prompted by rising silver costs and the necessity to stabilize the nation’s coinage provide. The intrinsic worth of silver in pre-1965 cash was exceeding their face worth, resulting in hoarding and a coin scarcity. The shift to clad coinage addressed these points and ensured the continued availability of cash for commerce.