Fifty Cents (Sterling) melt value & silver content
1870–1919 · 92.5% silver · 0.34557 troy oz of pure silver per coin.
What a Fifty Cents (Sterling) is worth
The melt value of a Fifty Cents (Sterling) is its 0.34557 troy oz of pure silver multiplied by the silver spot price. It contains 92.5% silver, and at a face value of $0.50 that works out to 0.6911 troy oz of silver for every dollar of face value. The calculator above uses the current spot price, so the figure it shows is what the silver in the coin is worth right now.
Melt value is a floor, not a price. A Fifty Cents (Sterling) in collectible grade, or a scarce date, can be worth well above its silver. Dealers also buy under melt and sell over it — the spread is how they make money, so expect to pay a premium buying and receive a discount selling.
What a Fifty Cents (Sterling) works out to
| Quantity | Silver | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| One coin | 0.34557 oz | — |
| A troy ounce of silver | 2.9 coins | — |
| $1.00 of face value | 2 coins | — |
Melt value updates with the spot price above.
Silver standards in Canada
Canada struck at the sterling standard of 92.5% until 1919, dropped to 80% from 1920, and finished with a 50% run across 1967 and 1968 before silver left circulation entirely.
The 1967–68 transition is the one to watch: coins of those two years exist in both 80% and 50%, so the date alone does not settle what a piece holds.
Other halves
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