Before the mid-1960s, dimes, quarters and half dollars minted in the United States were minted of almost entirely of silver. Copper made up a small percentage (about 10%) of these coins. Although half dollar silver coins were made of 90% silver until the mid-1960s there was a big change in their composition soon after that. Silver half dollar coins minted in the second half of the 1960s were made with 40% silver.
When it comes to silver coins, sometimes promotions can make one kind of coin become more valuable than others. Typically, the contents of a bag of pre-1965 half dollars will be equally divided between Kennedy and Franklin silver coins. There may also be a few Walking Liberty or Barber silver half dollars thrown in as well.
If you have 90% silver coins, be aware that you can sell these silver coins in varying degrees. You can sell a full bag, you can sell part of a bag or you can simply sell just a few of these silver coins. At one time coins that are 90% silver were shipped in bags valued at $1000, but you are not obligated to sell them in that fashion. But just so you know, when some coin brokers speak of “a bag” they mean an amount of coins that is equal to $1000 in face value.
If you are interested in selling your silver coins to get cash for silver, you might want to check into silver coin prices beforehand. A website like Kitco can tell you what you know to know about silver coin value before you head out to sell your silver coins.
