Half Dollar Coins

Hundreds of millions of Bicentennial coins were struck during 1975 and 1976 -- both in the regular copper-nickel clads for circulation and in a 40% silver clad composition for collectors. The silver Bicentennial coins were sold in mint sets and proof sets. These mint sets and proof sets were first sold in 1975 and remained mint offerings into the mid-1980s. The U.S. Mint wound up melting millions of unsold silver Bicentennial coins.