After a long day of searching through change, i went into my brothers room (Aaron) seeing my brother sitting on the bed playing with 2 very shiny coins, i went up to him and said "were did you find these coins?". He said "Oh, i was just looking around when i saw 2 big coins on the table" XD. I quickly grabbed the coins to examine them and they turn out to be 2 separate JFK Silver Half-Dollars one dated 1976 and 1972, one with an eagle and one with what seems to be a church on the reverse. The 1972 seems to be a different metal then the other one, i'll post pics as soon as i can.
The 1976 is a Bicentennial half dollar. The 1972 does not have silver in it. The 1976 also does not have silver in it, unless it is from a 1976 silver set. You can tell by looking at the edge. If you see copper, it is a regular business strike for circulation. Also: Kennedy half dollars all sound (to me) like they have silver in it.
The 1972 is not silver as has been said. Some special bicentennial 1976 Half Dollars were minted in silver (for sets) but most were the typical nickel clad (just like the 1972). The simplest way to tell is to look for a mint mark...don't look at the rim because that's not useful. The mint mark is located below JFK's neck almost directly above the dash between 1776-1976. You are looking for a small letter. If there is no letter or it's a "D" the coin is a normal circulation strike and it is not silver. If the mark is a "S" then it was made in San Francisco exclusively for these sets. Many "S" mint (but not all) were silver in 1976. If your coin does not have an S then it is not silver...if it does, it very well could be.
Are you saying that on a silver Kennedy, the edge can have copper color in it? Or that if it is all silver on the edge, it might still be clad?
I'm saying that I have seen many clad half dollars with no copper visible on the edge. If you see copper...it means clad, but if you don't see copper it doesn't mean anything. Which one is which?
Now that is interesting. The 1976 is a normal circulation strike and is not silver. The 1972 isn't silver either...but it's a proof.
The 1976 is worth face value unless it's in prestine condition...which I doubt it is. They made a ton of them and they are super common. Proof coins are issued in proof sets...the coin is manufactured a different way which results in the strike being very sharp and causing the designs to often have a frosty white appearance and the fields to be like a mirror. They are intended to be sold to collectors in these sets and never circulated. Proofs are common, but rare in circulation. That coin would probably be worth $5 or so it if hadn't been handled. Since it sounds like it has been...it isn't worth that much. But, it's a interesting find.
