A 1964 Kennedy half dollar is the first-year issue and is 90 percent silver, so even a worn example has a metal floor above face value. 1964 Kennedy half dollar value then depends on mint mark, condition, and whether you have a variety such as the accented-hair proof. Check the date and the silver content before you sell.
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Example · 10 Nov 2026
1964 Kennedy half dollar, 90 percent silver
Melt floor $18.67 (NGC, 10 November 2026, 6:55 p.m. Eastern)
A 1964 Kennedy half is 90 percent silver (0.36169 troy ounces), so even a worn example has a metal floor above face value. That NGC figure is a melt value, not a collector price for a sharp, proof, or variety coin, and it is not a live quote. Photo: 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar (54187367859).jpg by slgckgc, licensed under CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. See also photo credits.
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How to identify it
The 1964 Kennedy half dollar is the first year of the series and the only regular circulating year struck in 90 percent silver for this design. Later 1965 to 1970 halves have less silver, and later clad coins are a different metal again. Photograph both sides, including the date and the mint mark. Not sure which mint mark you have? Snap it and the app reads it for you.
This page is the year-level child of the Kennedy half dollar guide, which covers the silver years and later clad coins together. A 1964 date is the one with the 90 percent silver standard used through that year.
What changes the price
Mint mark and condition move a 1964 half above or around its silver floor. Wear on the hair and the cheek tells you whether you have a typical circulated coin or something closer to uncirculated. Proof coins have a different finish and a different listing set from a worn pocket piece. Do not clean the coin.
Key varieties as sections, no invented prices
The variety people ask about most is the 1964 accented-hair proof, a real proof variety with a different hair detail above the ear. It is not automatic proof that every 1964 half is scarce. Compare the hair with a clear reference photo, and do not invent a price from a social post. Ordinary 1964 circulation strikes are silver coins, not error coins, just because the date is famous.
Melt vs collectible value
NGC's melt-value table, updated 10 November 2026 at 6:55 p.m. Eastern, listed $18.67 for a 1964 Kennedy half (90 percent silver, 0.36169 troy ounces) at a silver ask of $51.62. That is a melt figure, not a collector price for a sharp, proof, or variety coin, and not a live quote. A dealer bid can sit below a simple melt calculation. Coin figures in the app also draw on Numista.
Listed vs sold
Dealer charts, sell pages, and “fortune” posts often mix melt, retail asking prices, and once-off sales. The range we show comes from current public listings, which are asking prices. A sold price can be lower. When we find enough listings, we show them so you can see the spread. If listings are thin, we label a rough estimate rather than inventing a precise number. See How we price.
Where to sell
A common worn 1964 half often goes to a coin shop or a bullion dealer, near melt. A proof, a high-grade coin, or a confirmed accented-hair variety may belong in a specialist listing. The app can draft a listing for eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Gumtree. Cited figures are in US dollars.
Scan and list
- Photograph both sides, including the date, mint mark, and the hair detail if you think it might be an accented-hair proof.
- Confirm the 1964 date and the mint, and mention whether it looks like a circulation strike or a proof.
- Review the Worth about figure and the listed range when we find enough current public listings, and treat melt as a floor.
You can start with a free web scan in the box on this page.
The app scans faster, keeps a history of your items and gives free weekly scans.
What makes How Much Is It Worth different
One photo is enough to start, and you can add up to two more angles. We identify the item first, you confirm or correct it, then we look up a Worth about figure and a listed range from current public marketplace listings. Those are asking prices, which can sit above what a piece finally sells for. You see the listings themselves when we find enough of them.
Coins and banknotes also draw on Numista. Trading cards use PokéWallet, with a source credit where that data appears. Gold and silver use a live metal price as a floor. If listings are thin, we show a clearly labelled rough estimate rather than inventing a precise number. The app can draft a listing for eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Gumtree once you are ready to sell. For the short version of this process, read How we price.
FAQ
How much is a 1964 Kennedy half dollar worth?
A 1964 Kennedy half is 90 percent silver, so even a worn example has a metal floor above face value. NGC's melt-value table, updated 10 November 2026 at 6:55 p.m. Eastern, listed $18.67 for that coin (0.36169 troy ounces of silver). That is a melt figure, not a collector price for a sharp, proof, or variety coin.
How can you tell if a 1964 Kennedy half dollar is valuable?
Start with the silver content, then mint mark, condition, and whether it is a circulation strike or a proof. The accented-hair proof is a real variety, but it is not automatic proof that every 1964 half is scarce.
How do I tell if a 1964 half has accented hair?
Compare the hair detail above the ear with a clear reference photo of the accented-hair proof. We will not invent a price for that variety. If a lot of money is at stake, get a specialist to look at it.
Can I scan a 1964 Kennedy half with the app?
Yes. Photograph both sides, including the date, mint mark, and the hair detail if you think it might be an accented-hair proof, then confirm the identification. Coin figures also draw on Numista.
Related coin guides
Sources
- NGC, Coin Melt Values, updated 10 November 2026 at 6:55 p.m. Eastern. Silver ask $51.62 per troy ounce; Morgan and Peace dollar (0.7734 troy oz) melt $39.92; 1964 Kennedy half dollar (0.36169 troy oz, 90% silver) melt $18.67; 1965-1970 Kennedy (40% silver) melt $7.63; 40% silver Eisenhower dollar (1971-1976) melt $16.32.
- Coin figures in the app also draw on Numista, with a source credit where that data appears.
- How the app prices items is described on How we price.
Updated 11 November 2026. Written by Harris, who built How Much Is It Worth. Figures that we cite include a source and a date. They are not a certified appraisal. See How we price.
The app scans faster, keeps a history of your items and gives free weekly scans.
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