Kennedy Half Dollar

Kennedy Half Dollars were first minted in 1964, the year after President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated. The engraver was Gilroy Roberts, whose initials can be found at the base of the Kennedy's neck on the obverse side of the coin. The reverse features a design based on the Presidential Seal of the United States. The reverse was designed by Frank Gasparro.

The coin has been struck at the Philadelphia mint (no mint mark) the San Francisco Mint (marked S) and the Denver mint (marked D). Starting in 1964 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.

The Kennedy Half Dollar
Obverse:
John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States along with the Motto In God We Trust and the word LIBERTY.

Reverse:
Eagle holding an olive branch (peace) and arrows (strength). The thirteen stripes represent the 13 colonies. 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.

1964: Philadelphia issues do not have a mint mark, only coins minted in Denver. The Denver "D" can be found on the reverse side near the eagle's tail.

1965-1967: Coins from these years do not have mint marks, regardless of where they were struck.

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 most obvious change in the design of the Kennedy Half Dollar is that which 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.

Oh...You're Talking About The Copper!"

When the coin was first struck, in 1964, the coin sas 90% silver (0.36169 troy oz.). In an attempt to save money, in 1965 the composition of the coin was changed to 40% silver (0.14792 Troy oz.).

In 1971 they 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!

Using all of the letters on the Kennedy Half Dollar (only as many times as the letter is found on the coin), how many US Presidents' last names can you spell? All of the letters are available for each of the names, but only as many times as the letter appears on the coin. The answer appears a little further down the page!

Adams (John), Adams (John Quincy), Arthur, Buchanan, Bush (George H.W.), Bush (George W), Carter, Clinton, Coolidge, Filmore, Ford, Garfield, Grant, Harding, Harrison, Hayes, Lincoln, Madison, Monroe, Obama, Pierce, Reagan, Taft, Truman, Tyler, Washington, Wilson. Interestingly, you can't spell Kennedy's name because there is no K!