The composition of United States half-dollar cash produced in 1967 is notable for its deviation from earlier silver coinage. As a substitute of the 90% silver alloy present in earlier years, these cash are composed of a clad steel. This clad composition consists of an outer layer of 80% silver and 20% copper bonded to a core of 20.9% silver and 79.1% copper. This leads to a silver proportion considerably decrease than pre-1965 half-dollars.
The shift in metallic composition was a direct response to escalating silver costs and a rising coin scarcity. Retaining some silver content material allowed the federal government to keep up a connection to the custom of treasured steel coinage, whereas the lowered proportion addressed financial pressures. This modification marked a major transition in US coinage historical past and impacted the intrinsic worth of the half-dollar.