As a result of its decreasing usage, many pre-2002 half dollars remain in Federal Reserve vaults, prompting the change in production.

Rolls of half dollars may still be kept on hand in cardrooms for games requiring 50-cent antes or bring-in bets, for dealers to pay winning naturals in blackjack, or where the house collects a rake in increments.

Additionally, some concession vendors at sporting events distribute half-dollar coins as change for convenience.

In 1965, the U.S. introduced layered-composition coins made of a pure copper core sandwiched between two cupronickel outer faces.

In 1971, the composition of the half was changed to match that of the clad dimes and quarters, and with an increase in production, the coin saw a moderate increase in usage; however, by this time many businesses and the public had begun to lose interest in the half dollar and gradually, its usage began to wane.

From 2001-2020, half dollars were minted only for collectors, due to large Federal Reserve and government inventories of pre-2001 coins; this was primarily due to a lack of demand and large quantity returns of halves from casinos that switched to using "coin-less" slot machines.

Eventually, the reserve supply of halves began to run low and in 2021, the mint resumed production of half dollars for general circulation.

[6] 150,000 were minted in 1804 but struck with dies from 1803, so no 1804 specimens exist, though there were some pieces dated 1805 that carried a "5 over 4" overdate.

[8] The 1838 Philadelphia-produced half dollars are extremely rare, with two separate specimens having sold for $632,500 in Heritage auctions in 2005 and 2008[9] respectively.

Initially, the die was used with accented hair, showing deeper lines than the president's widow, Jacqueline Kennedy, preferred.