Historical story

Does a 1943 half dollar have silver?

No, a 1943 half dollar does not have silver. In 1942 the US Mint switch from using silver to other metal alloys due to the need for silver for the war effort. The 1942-1945 half dollars were made from a clad composition: the exterior was made of 75% copper and 25% nickel while the interior core was pure copper.