Half Dollar · 1971
1971 Half Dollar Value
A 1971 half dollar is worth $0.54 to $1.83 in circulated condition, depending on its mint mark and wear. The record price at auction is $105 (Heritage Auctions, 2001).
Prices updated:
About the 1971 half dollar
The 1971 half dollar is a regular circulation issue, struck in copper-nickel clad copper (91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel), weighing 11.34 g, 30.61 mm across, from a design by Gilroy Roberts. It was struck at Denver, Philadelphia — 457,737,424 coins in all.
For scale, 1971 mintage was 209% higher than in 1973, when 148,135,400 were struck.
Philadelphia made the fewest at 155,640,000, against 302,097,424 from Denver.
The spread on this date is almost entirely about condition. A worn example is $0.54; the same coin certified MS68 carries a guide value of $3,750, and PCGS has graded 15 that high. Everything between those two numbers is a question of how the coin was handled in its first weeks.
Population figures put that in perspective. Across the grades listed here PCGS has certified 6,902 examples of this date, and only 15 of them reached MS68. A coin that spent years in a till will not be among them; one pulled from a roll and never touched might be. That gap is the whole reason two coins with the same date sell for very different money.
There is also a record of what people actually paid. The highest recorded sale for this date is $105, at Heritage Auctions in August 2001. Auction results move around the guide values rather than matching them — the same coin can bring more on a day two determined bidders want it, and less when nobody does.
Value chart by grade
| Mint mark | Mintage | G | VG | F | VF | XF | AU | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 302,097,424302.1M | $0.54 | $0.58 | $0.58 | $0.72 | $1.15 | $1.16 | $1.62 |
| No mint mark | 155,640,000155.6M | $0.76 | $0.76 | $0.76 | $0.87 | $1.16 | $1.66 | $1.83 |
What the grades mean
Grades run G to UNC, then MS60–MS70, where most value sits. How coin grading works →
Uncirculated values (MS grades)
Most value lives above UNC — population shows the rarity.
Mint mark D PCGS #6717
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63 | $9 | 146 | 3,233 |
| MS65 | $16 | 964 | 1,790 |
| MS66 | $25 | 1,369 | 414 |
| MS67 | $65 | 339 | 49 |
| MS68 | $3,750 | 15 | 0 |
Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 15 examples in MS68 — that's why the price jumps from $65 to $3,750.
No mint mark PCGS #6716
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63 | $9 | 101 | 872 |
| MS65 | $40 | 439 | 182 |
| MS66 | $100 | 147 | 32 |
| MS67 | $2,000 | 20 | 2 |
Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 20 examples in MS67 — that's why the price jumps from $100 to $2,000.
PCGS Price Guide values for certified (slabbed) coins. Population — how many PCGS has graded.How to identify your 1971 half dollar
What if it has already been cleaned?
Still identifies the same — you lose the premium. Don't try to fix it.
Where is the mint mark
It sits on the obverse below Kennedy's neck (1968 onward); on the reverse below the eagle for earlier issues. No letter means Philadelphia — normal, not rare. What the letter means →
Proof and collector versions
Alongside the coins made for circulation, the Mint sold 1 collector version of the 1971 1971 half dollar — proofs and special finishes struck at San Francisco and sold directly in sets.These never entered circulation, so if your coin came out of a till or a jar it is not one of them. They carry an S mint mark and a mirror or satin finish that is obvious next to an ordinary coin. The scarcest was struck in 3,244,183.
| Format | Mint | Mintage | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proof | S | 3,244,1833.2M | $5.10 |
Auction records
Real sales, not estimates. An auction result is one coin on one day, so individual prices land on both sides of the guide values above; the figures exclude the buyer's premium.| Date | Coin | Auction house | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2001 | D | Heritage Auctions | $105 |
What to do with your 1971 half dollar
Don't clean it
Leave the surface alone — see the warning above.
Is it worth grading?
Grading costs roughly $50–100 per coin. For this coin it can pay off in high grades — MS68 examples are valued at $3,750, and the top of the scale runs to $3,750. Grading is worth considering only if the coin has no wear and full original lustre.
Where to sell
Dealer: fastest, pays least. Auction: best for coins worth $100+. eBay: most buyers, most fees.
Specifications
½ Dollar "Kennedy Half Dollar"
- Composition
- Copper-nickel clad copper (91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel)
- Weight
- 11.34 g
- Diameter
- 30.61 mm
- Thickness
- 2.15 mm
- Edge
- Reeded
- Designer
- Gilroy Roberts
- Mints
- United States Mint of Philadelphia, United States Mint of Denver, United States Mint of San Francisco (collector issues only)
FAQ
How much is a 1971 half dollar worth?
A circulated 1971 half dollar is worth $0.54 to $1.83 depending on condition and mint mark. In top uncirculated grades it goes much higher — the PCGS guide reaches $3,750 in MS68.
How many 1971 half dollars were made?
About 457,737,424 in total — Denver 302,097,424, Philadelphia 155,640,000.
Are there rare 1971 half dollar varieties?
No varieties are catalogued for this date.
What is the S half dollar from 1971?
An S mint mark on a 1971 half dollar means a collector coin from San Francisco — 1 proof and special-finish versions were sold in sets rather than released into circulation. The scarcest was struck in 3,244,183. They are not found in change.
Should I get my 1971 half dollar graded?
Grading costs roughly $50–100 per coin. For this date it can pay off at the very top of the scale, where the guide reaches $3,750, but only for a coin with no wear and full lustre.
What is the most expensive 1971 half dollar?
The record among recorded sales is $105, at Heritage Auctions in August 2001.
More on half dollars
1967 Half Dollar1968 Half Dollar1969 Half Dollar1972 Half Dollar1973 Half Dollar1974 Half Dollar