Coins Silver

Walking Liberty half dollars, minted 1916-1947, are the second most popular silver coins turned out by the US Mint. As did the Franklin half-dollars and the 1964-dated Kennedy half-dollars, Walking Liberty half dollars contained 0.36169 oz. , a bag of two thousand half dollars ( $1,000 face ) contained 723.38 ounces of silver when minted. However, due to wear, a bag ( $1,000 face ) of circulated half-dollars will yield 718-720 oz of silver when smelted.

In comparison, a bag of pre-1965 90% silver nickels or quarters will yield about 715 oz of silver when smelted.

One, half dollars suffered less wear than nickels and quarters [*SCO], half-dollars will yield some more oz of silver when smelted.

When silver costs are low, those few more oz. are of tiny significance.

The actual reason half dollars sell at premiums to nickels and quarters is that half dollars are far more favored with silver backers. Half dollars are far more popular for 2 reasons. Another possible reason for the half-dollar's popularity is they approach in size the massively well-liked American silver dollars. Bags of Walking Freedom halves are not always available. The Walking Freedom design is a fave the US Mint chose the Walking Freedom to grace the Mint's Silver Eagles, when they were introduced in 1986. Silver Eagles are the planet's best selling 1-oz. ( Coins that have lost their dates are sent to a refinery, where they are converted into pure silver for other uses. ).