Kennedy half dollar
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Evolving from the Franklin half dollar, the Kennedy half dollar is a coin of the United States first minted in 1964. This coin was first struck in 1964 less than a year after the death of President John F. Kennedy. The front features the face of President John F. Kennedy and on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse. The obverse was designed by Gilroy Roberts and the reverse was designed by Frank Gasparro.
Specifications
- Obverse design: President John F. Kennedy
- Reverse design: The Coat of Arms of the President of the United States
- Bicentennial reverse designer: Seth Huntington
- Bicentennial reverse design: Independence Hall in Philadelphia
- Edge: reeded
- Diameter: 30.6 mm
Composition
The Kennedy half dollar was struck in 90 percent silver in 1964. This was reduced to a silver-clad with a lower silver content. In 1971, the coin was minted without silver at all and used the copper-nickel clad common to the dollar, quarter, and dime. When the United States Mint started producing silver proof sets in 1992, the Kennedy half dollar had the same composition as the coins of 1965-1970.Silver issue (1964):
- Weight: 12.5 g
- Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
- Silver content: 11.25 g (0.3617 troy oz)
- Weight: 11.5 g (11.3 g for silver proofs 1992 to date)
- Composition:
- : Outer layers: 80% silver, 20% copper
- : Inner layers: 20.9% silver, 79.1% copper
- Silver content: 4.60 g (0.1479 troy oz)
- Weight: 11.34 g (0.4 oz avoirdupois)
- Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel
History
The Kennedy half dollar replaced the Franklin half dollar within a year of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Collectors and even ordinary citizens hoarded the coins of 1964, both because President Kennedy was so beloved and because of the belief that the coins would someday be valuable. In 1965, the mint stopped producing silver dimes and quarters, but the half dollar was minted in a silver clad. The silver clad ended in 1970. In 1975 and 1976, the bicentennial half dollar was minted showing Independence Hall on the reverse. All of the bicentennial halves are dated "1776–1976." Starting in 1977, the half dollar experienced a decline in use and mintage. By 2002, the coins were no longer minted for commercial use, but only in special mint rolls, mint sets, and proof sets for collectors.Engraver Gilroy Roberts' initials can be found on the truncation of Kennedy's neck on the obverse. The sylized "GR" was interpreted by some as a hammer and sickle insignia, either indicated the late President's socialist sympathies or simply the manifestation of a Communist plot. In any case, the rumor has no basis in fact.
Mints
In 1964, the mint mark appeared on the reverse, under the eagle's left talon. Starting in 1968, mint marks appear above the second and third numbers in the date under Kennedy's neck. Mint marks as of 2005 include:- Blank (Philadelphia Mint in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 1964–1979
- P (Philadelphia Mint in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 1980—
- D (Denver Mint in Denver, Colorado)
- S (San Francisco Mint in San Francisco, California)
References
- Yeoman, R.S. A Guide Book of United States Coins. Atlanta: Whitman Publishing, 2004.
- Edler, Joel and Harper, Dave. U.S. Coin Digest. Iola: Krause Publications, 2004.
External links
- [Current US Coin Prices]
- [PCGS Price Guide for Kennedy half dollars]
- [Kennedy half dollar mintages at coinfacts.com]
- [Kennedy Half Dollar pictures]
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