A half dollar is an American coin worth fifty cents, or half of a dollar. If you have two half dollars, you have exactly one dollar. The coin is larger and heavier than a quarter, and modern half dollars feature President John F. Kennedy on the front.

Half dollars used to be common in everyday transactions, but today you rarely see them in circulation. Most stores don't keep them in their cash registers, and many kids have never held one. The U.S. Mint still makes them, but mostly for coin collectors rather than for spending.

Before 1965, half dollars contained real silver, which made them valuable beyond their face value. Some people still collect older half dollars, hunting for rare dates or mint marks that make certain coins worth much more than fifty cents. You might find a half dollar in a coin jar at home or receive one as change from a bank, but don't expect to get one from a vending machine.

The term half dollar can also describe any amount equal to fifty cents, even if you're counting it in dimes and nickels instead of holding the actual coin.