You can buy a used car with this US 50-cent silver coin featuring Kennedy's face

Certain John F. Kennedy half-dollar coins are highly sought after by collectors, with some versions made of silver now commanding prices equivalent to a used car. The easiest way to identify these valuable coins is by checking the year minted on the obverse, as the metal composition varied throughout different production stages.

The U.S. Mint first produced Kennedy half-dollars in 1964 using a 90% silver and 10% copper alloy. Between 1965 and 1970, the composition shifted to a clad structure containing 40% silver. Since 1971, circulating coins have used a copper core clad with a copper-nickel alloy. Silver was reserved for special collector editions, often found in proof sets and marked with an "S" mint mark from the San Francisco Mint.

Beyond the mint year, other physical characteristics distinguish the silver coins. Those minted in 1964, with 90% silver, possess specific features. Coins produced from 1965 to 1970, with 40% silver content, exhibit different traits.

The U.S. Mint has a long history of using silver in its half-dollars, dating back to 1794. The design evolved over time, featuring figures like Liberty and an eagle, followed by Benjamin Franklin, before settling on John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963. Special designs were issued for the 1976 bicentennial, and since 2002, most production targets the numismatic market, though the Federal Reserve can still order new emissions for circulation.