Most Valuable Kennedy
We’ve put together a comprehensive list of the most valuable Kennedy half dollar. As you will discover, Kennedy fifty cent coins are quite common and inexpensive, but some can be worth a fortune depending on key dates and the coin’s condition.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
History Of The Kennedy Half Dollar
The United States Mint first minted the Kennedy half dollar in 1964, a few months after the assassination of the beloved president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
The Kennedy half dollar, which replaced the Benjamin Franklin half dollar, was made from 90% silver and 10% copper.
However, this metal composition changed from 1965 to 1970, with the Mint striking coins made from a 79% copper core and an outer layer of 80% silver and 20% copper. The metal changes resulted from the copper shortage experienced at the time.
From 1971, all half dollars comprised 75% copper and 25% copper, with an inner core made from pure copper.
The coin’s design has remained the same from the first time it was struck in 1964. The obverse features President Kennedy’s left-facing portrait, while on the reverse, you will find the heraldic eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and a bunch of arrows in the other to symbolize independence.
The San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia minting facilities minted the Kennedy half dollars. In 1964 alone, an estimated 156,205,446 half dollars were struck. From 2002 onwards, the Mint slowed down the production of these coins and only struck Kennedy dollars for collectors, which anyone could buy for face value.
At the start of 1992, the Mint struck a special Kennedy Half dollar proof containing 90% silver for collectors. In 1998, the half dollars containing 90% silver were released as matte and brilliant proof.
The most notable variety of the Kennedy dollar is the Accented Hair struck in 1964. Kennedy’s hair is deeply defined on these initial coins, but Jacqueline Kennedy, the president’s widow, did not like the design, requiring the Mint to make the hair appear softer. The Mint made the necessary changes, but a certain number of proof coins had already been struck
In 2022, after over two decades, the Federal Reserve ordered the Mint to produce more Kennedy coins for circulation. So, today you can easily acquire modern Kennedy half dollars. That said, the most valuable are silver Kennedy half dollars struck from 1964 to 1970.
Let’s now take a deeper look at Kennedy half dollars that are worth money.
Most Valuable Kennedy Half Dollar Worth Money
The 1964 Special Strike Kennedy half dollar is the rarest, non-error example in the series. This coin has unique qualities that distinguish it from other coins struck in the same year.
You will tell a 1964 special strike half dollar by its satiny finish, sharp obverse, and reverse design details. The rims are also exceptionally sharp and well-grounded.
These special coins typically won’t have contact marks, indicating that they were carefully minted and preserved to retain their special status.Most Valuable Kennedy Unlike proof coins, the Kennedy half-dollar special strike has a matte finish, with the only visible marks being die-polishing lines.
To date, the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) has certified only a dozen special strike Kennedy half dollars from 1964, highlighting that this is the rarest of all special strike coins struck in 1964.
The most expensive 1964 Kennedy half-dollar special strike was graded SP68 and auctioned for $156,000 at a Stack’s Bowers auction.
1968 Kennedy Half-Dollar Proof
The Mint began striking proof Kennedy half dollars in 1968, with these coins displaying the mint mark S to indicate their San Francisco origin. Before then, the Mint had only struck proofs in 1964, and these were produced at the Philadelphia facility.
The 1968 Kennedy half-dollar proofs are of superior quality compared to the ones struck in 1964. As such, many of the available examples can be found in higher grades. Most Valuable Kennedy Cameos are readily available, but deep cameos are increasingly rare and difficult to find.
A super rare deep cameo specimen graded PF70 was sold for $21,600 in a 2017 Heritage auction.