I went roll hunting today and found a 1971-D that appears to be silver. I have checked the reed edge (one color silvery gray) and put tissue paper over the coin (white) but I can't find much about rarity or value online. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated!
Chances are your coin may be silver plated. Weigh the coin-- a 40% silver half weighs 11.5 grams, while a cupro-nickel clad half weighs 11.34 grams.
1970 was the last year the Mint used silver in business strike coins, and the Kennedy half was the only denomination made with silver up until this year. In 1971 silver was used only in proof issues. If there is no S mintmark on the obverse, it more likely than not has been plated.
Only the new Eisenhower dollar was officially struck in (40%) silver in 1971. Of course, there is a remote possibility that some proof '71-S halves might have been struck on leftover '70-S planchets. The OP's coin is a '71-D.
No there is no silver in the '71 proofs. According to Brian Allen and Ken Potter in their book, Strike It Rich With Pocket Change, there is a 40% silver 1971D. Since the weights are too close between the clads and the 40%ers they say the only way to insure that it's silver is to do a specific gravity test.
So you're saying this is incorrect? "1971-D and 1977-D Struck On 40% Silver Clad A few of the 40% silver clad planchets used from 1965 to 1970 slipped into regular production lines at the Denver mint in 1971 and 1977." http://coins.about.com/od/uscoins/a/Kennedy-Half-Dollar-1964-Present-errors-varieties.htm
Thank you all guys . I greatly appreciate your concern . Hope to read you in the near future threads , soon 7 Calbrey
so if your scale rounds to a whole number a 40% would show as 12g while the nickel clad half would show as 11g? I have a 1971 coin that is showing as 12g so what would that mean? please respond ASAP!
The coin is probably just slightly heavy. It would only have to be .16 over to round up to the 12 grams, this would still be within mint tolerance.
It's not silver. Theoretically it could be on a 40% planchet by error, but you are more likely to get hit by lightning with a winning lottery ticket in your pocket. Post some photos, and try a more accurate scale. Miracles do happen. Look at the 1969 Mets. What does the edge look like? Can you see the copper core?