Franklin Half melt value & silver content
1948–1963 · 90% silver · 0.36169 troy oz of pure silver per coin.
What a Franklin Half is worth
The melt value of a Franklin Half is its 0.36169 troy oz of pure silver multiplied by the silver spot price. It contains 90% silver, and at a face value of $0.50 that works out to 0.7234 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 Franklin Half 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 Franklin Half works out to
| Quantity | Silver | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| One coin | 0.36169 oz | — |
| A troy ounce of silver | 2.8 coins | — |
| $1.00 of face value | 2 coins | — |
| A roll of 20 | 7.234 oz | — |
Melt value updates with the spot price above.
Silver standards in United States
United States silver coinage ran at 90% fine through 1964. Half dollars continued at 40% from 1965 to 1970, and nothing struck for circulation after that carries silver.
Because dimes, quarters and halves were all struck to the same standard, a dollar of face value in any mix of them holds the same silver — about 0.715 troy oz once circulated. That constant is what this site is named after.
Key dates to look for
- Semi-key1955, 1953, 1949-SThe lowest-mintage issues of a short, otherwise common series — 1955 is the scarcest at under 2.5 million.
- VarietyFull Bell LinesNot a date — coins with fully struck lines on the Liberty Bell command a large premium.
Dates like these are worth more than their silver, so check the date and mintmark before anyone values your coin by weight alone.
Other halves
715 for iPhone & Android
Your whole stack, priced every time you open it
Checking a Franklin Half at a coin shop? The app keeps the running total so you don't have to, and it works at the counter without a signal.
- A ledger with melt value, pure ounces and count — always current
- A deal checker: how far over or under melt any price lands
- Bullion, bars and rounds, plus any custom piece by weight
Free to start · no account · $3.99/year for the full ledger and every theme
