تويت
Kennedy Half Dollar Coins
Kennedy Half Dollars-Tribute to a Fallen Leader
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas November 22, 1963. The entire nation went into a period of mourning. All across the country people decided that they wanted to commemorate the slain leader. Roads, schools, and even one of New York City's airports were renamed after John F Kennedy.
A White House Press Release from Press Secretary Pierre Salinger and dated December 10, 1963, conveyed a statement from President Lyndon Johnson to the Congress of the United States proposing the "coinage of 50-cent pieces with the likeness of the late John Fitzgerald Kennedy." Public Law 88-256, authorizing the coin, was passed December 30, 1963. Just two months after the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy the U.S. Mint struck the first Kennedy Half Dollars;.
The coin was extremely popular with the American public from the outset due to the popularity of the young president, and collecting Kennedy Half Dollar coins has become one of the more popular niches among casual coin collectors and serious numismatists.
Kennedy Half Dollars
The U.S. Mint's Tribute to JFK
Kennedy Half Dollars were first minted in 1964, the year after President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated. The coin's engraver was Gilroy Roberts, whose initials can be found at the base of the Kennedy's neck on the obverse (heads) side of the coin. The reverse (tails) side of the coin features a design based on the Presidential Seal of the United States. The reverse was designed by Frank Gasparro.
The Kennedy Half Dollar has been struck at the Philadelphia mint (which bears no mint mark) the San Francisco Mint (marked "S") and the Denver mint (marked "D"). When the Kennedy Half Dollar was first produced the mint mark was found on the reverse face of the coin, immediately under the eagle's right foot. In 1968 the mint mark was moved to the obverse side of the coin directly above the date.
A Closer Look at the Coin Itself
The Kennedy Half Dollar
What are the images that appear on the coin?
Obverse:
A Bust of John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States and the Date the coin was minted along with the Motto In God We Trust and the word LIBERTY.
Reverse:
An Eagle holding an olive branch (symbolizing peace) and arrows (symbolizing strength). The thirteen stripes represent the 13 original states. The horizontal bar across the top represents Congress forming one government from many. The eagle is encircled by fifty stars, which represent the fifty states in the union. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the words HALF DOLLAR are also found on the reverse of the coin.
Where is the Mint Mark on the Kennedy Half Dollar?
1964: Coins minted in Philadelphia do not have a mint mark, only coins minted in Denver have them. The Denver "D" can be found on the reverse side near the eagle's tail.
1965-1967: Kennedy Half Dollars struck these years do not have mint marks, regardless of where they were minted.
1968-present: Between the date and the bottom of Kennedy's neck. Philadelphia coins prior to 1980 do not have a mint mark, after that the mint mark for the Philadelphia Mint is a "P."
The Designers' Initials
The obverse (front or heads) of the Kennedy Half Dollar was designed by Gilroy Roberts. You can find this highly stylized initial at the base of Kennedy's neck.
The reverse (back or tails) of the Kennedy Half Dollar was designed by Frank Gasparro. You can find his initials between the Eagle's left leg and tail.
The reverse (back or tails) of the Bicentennial Half Dollar was designed by Seth G Huntington. You can find his initials to the right of Liberty Hall below the motto E Pluribus Unum.
Why Don't All Kennedy Half Dollars Look Alike?
The most obvious change in the design of the Kennedy Half Dollar occurred during the celebration of the Bicentennial of the United States. The obverse side of the coin features Kennedy, but the date of the coin features the inscription 1776-1976. The reverse side of the coin, which was designed by Seth G. Huntington, features Independence Hall. These coins were struck in 1975 and 1976.
That's NOT What I'm Talking About...Look at the Edge! It's Striped!
A Copper Stripe Down the Edge of the Kennedy Half Dollar
Oh...You're Talking About The Copper!"
When the coin was first struck, in 1964, the coin was 90% silver (0.36169 troy oz.). To save money, in 1965 the government changed the composition of the coin was changed to 40% silver (0.14792 Troy oz.), 60% copper.
In 1971 the US Mint introduced what you called the "stripe." The composition of the coin was changed once again. The silver was removed entirely. The outside faces of the coin were made of nickel. The inside of the coin is made of copper. That copper, "clad" in nickel, is what you see as a stripe!
Oh...You're Talking About The Copper!"
When the coin was first struck, in 1964, the coin was 90% silver (0.36169 troy oz.). To save money, in 1965 the government changed the composition of the coin was changed to 40% silver (0.14792 Troy oz.), 60% copper.
In 1971 the US Mint introduced what you called the "stripe." The composition of the coin was changed once again. The silver was removed entirely. The outside faces of the coin were made of nickel. The inside of the coin is made of copper. That copper, "clad" in nickel, is what you see as a stripe!
