Kennedy half dollar

Kennedy half dollar

United States
Value	50 cents (.50 US dollar)
Mass	1971–current: 11.34 g. 1965–1970: 11.50 g. 1964: 12.50 g
Diameter	30.6 mm
Thickness	2.15 mm
Edge	reeded
Composition	Outer layer of 75% copper, 25% nickel clad to pure copper core. 1965–1970: outer layer of 80% silver, 20% copper clad to core of 79% copper, 21% silver; totaling 60% copper, 40% silver. 1964: 90% silver, 10% copper
Gold	2014 commemorative version: 0.999 fine gold, 0.75 troy oz
Silver	Silver collectors' versions: 1976: 40% fine, 0.37 troy oz. Silver proofs 1992–2018: 90% fine, 0.402 troy oz. Silver proofs since 2019: 99.9% fine, 0.37 troy oz
Years of minting	1964–present
Mint marks	P, D, S, W. "W" mint mark only on 2014 commemorative issue. Mint mark located beneath where the eagle's claws grasp the olive branch on reverse for 1964 coins and for 1964-2014-W gold issue; above the date on the obverse for all other issues. Mint mark omitted on all coins from 1965 to 1967 and on Philadelphia Mint issues before 1980.
Obverse
Design	Left profile of John F. Kennedy
Designer	Gilroy Roberts
Design date	1964 to present
Reverse
Design	Modified presidential seal
Designer	Frank Gasparro
Design date	1964 to present, excepting 1975 and 1976
Design	Independence Hall
Designer	Seth G. Huntington
Design date	1975 and 1976 (dated 1776–1976)

The Kennedy half dollar, first minted in 1964, is a fifty-cent coin issued by the United States Mint. Intended as a memorial to the assassinated 35th president of the United States John F. Kennedy, it was authorized by Congress just over a month after his death. Use of existing works by Mint sculptors Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro allowed dies to be prepared quickly, and striking of the new coins began in January 1964.

The silver coins were hoarded upon their release in March 1964 by collectors and those interested in a memento of the late president. Although the Mint greatly increased production, the denomination was seldom seen in circulation. Continued rises in the price of silver increased the hoarding—many early Kennedy half dollars have been melted for their silver content. Starting with 1965-dated coins, the percentage of fine silver was reduced from 90% to 40% (silver clad), but even with this change the coin saw little circulation.

In 1971, silver was eliminated entirely from the half dollar. Though production increased, the clad coin saw only a moderate increase in circulation; by 1980, usage had gradually fallen to the point where the half was only occasionally seen in circulation. A special design for the reverse of the half dollar was issued for the United States Bicentennial and was struck in 1975 and 1976. In addition to business strikes, special collector coins were struck for the Bicentennial in silver clad; silver proof sets in which the dime, quarter and half dollar were struck in 90% silver were first minted in 1992. In 2014, a special 50th anniversary edition of the Kennedy half dollar was also struck in 99.99% gold.

Even though ample supplies of circulating half dollars are readily available from most banks, their circulation is still limited. Production of Kennedy half dollars for general circulation was temporarily suspended in 2001; from 2002 to 2020, the coins were produced to satisfy the demand from collectors and sold at a premium through the Mint. In 2021, the mint resumed striking Kennedy half dollars for general circulation.^[1]