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One of the most popular coins to collect during the 20th century features one of the most popular presidents of the 20th century.
Kennedy half dollars have been in circulation since 1964. These coins honor John F. Kennedy — our nation’s 35th president, who served from 1961 until he was assassinated in 1963.
The U.S. government swiftly approved the Kennedy half dollar mere weeks after Kennedy was killed — making for what was one of the most sudden changes in United States coinage history.
The Kennedy half dollar replaced the Franklin half dollar — which was struck from 1948 to 1963.
Below, you will find out how much Kennedy half dollars are worth (including the Bicentennial half dollar), and which ones are considered rare…
The Most Common Kennedy Half Dollars
Even though they’re not seen in circulation much anymore, Kennedy half dollars are actually very common coins.
Before Kennedy half dollars were made in 1964, half dollars, in general, circulated quite well.
However, a mourning nation wanting these souvenirs of the fallen president quickly put in place a national habit of withholding half dollars from circulation.
Couple that effect with the overall zeal to keep all silver coins from circulation during the mid 1960s, when people hoarded coins which contained any trace of silver, and you can easily see how half dollars in circulation became a thing of the past!
The U.S. Mint made hundreds of millions of Kennedy half dollars.
Production remained high overall through much of the 1970s. By the time the 1980s entered, half dollar use had essentially stopped across much of the country — and the numbers of Kennedy half dollars being made declined. 1983 was the last year more than 60 million half dollars were made for circulation. The last time the Kennedy half dollar mintage in any single year was in the hundreds of millions was in the mid-1970s.
If you look for Kennedy half dollars, the dates you’ll most often find are from:
- 1971
- 1972
- 1974
- 1776-1976 (the Bicentennial half dollar)
After that, you’ll likely find some sporadic dates ranging from the late 1970s and early 1980s — followed by a variety of dates from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
Relatively few of the Kennedy half dollars made in the 2000s have really ever reached circulation.
Most dates from the mid 1980s to the present have very light (if any) perceptible wear — because they are used so infrequently!
Are Silver Kennedy Half Dollars Hard To Find?
If you ask for Kennedy half dollars at banks, there’s actually a slim chance you’ll wind up finding some.
Since half dollars don’t circulate very much and most people don’t even think to ask for them in change or, for that matter, devote much time looking at half dollars — silver half dollars do turn up on occasion in bank rolls.
Be sure you check coin rolls of half dollars whenever you can. With a bit of searching, you stand a chance of finding a 40% silver Kennedy half dollar (made from 1965 through 1969 for circulation) or even a 90% silver 1964 Kennedy half dollar.
Here’s when silver Kennedy half dollars were made:
- 1964 was the only year circulating Kennedy half dollars were struck in the 90% silver format.
- From 1965 through 1970, Kennedy half dollars were made of a 40% silver composition. (By the way, 1970 Kennedy half dollars were made only for mint sets and proof sets, though some Kennedy halves from those sets have entered circulation.)
- Beginning in 1971, Kennedy half dollars made for circulation were struck in a copper-nickel clad composition.
- Some 1776-1976 Kennedy half dollars were made in a 40% silver composition for coin collectors – these are found in mint sets and proof sets.
- Since 1992, proof Kennedy half dollars have been made of 90% silver for inclusion in certain proof sets.
How Much Are Kennedy Half Dollars Worth?
There are really no rare regular-strike Kennedy half dollars.
Values for most Kennedy half dollars are cheap — except for a couple of scarce Kennedy halves and error Kennedy halves (of which there are many):
- The 1970-D Kennedy half dollar is the scarcest, worth about $25 in typical uncirculated grades.
- The 1998-S silver matte finish Kennedy half dollar is worth $500.
- All circulated copper-nickel clad Kennedy halves without any errors are worth only face value.
- Most proof Kennedy half dollars are valued between $3 and $10.
- Regular, uncirculated 1964 Kennedy halves are worth around $15.
- Regular uncirculated 1965 through 1969 Kennedy half dollars have a value of around $8.
- All worn silver Kennedy half dollars are worth whatever the current melt value is for the respective amount of silver in the coin.
What’s The Value Of A 1776-1976 Bicentennial Half Dollar?
If you’ve found a Bicentennial Kennedy half dollar in your change, you’re probably wondering what the 1776-1976 half dollar value is — and whether or not it’s rare.
Amazingly, more than a half a billion (that’s with a B!) 1976 Bicentennial half dollars were made. So, in a nutshell, no – the Bicentennial ones are not rare Kennedy half dollars by any stretch of the imagination.
A well-worn Bicentennial Kennedy half dollar made from copper-nickel clad and bearing either NO mintmark under Kennedy’s head or a “D” mintmark (for the Denver Mint) is worth face value — or 50 cents.
However, the “S” mintmark Bicentennial Kennedy half dollars (made at the San Francisco Mint) may be worth significantly more. You see, some 1976-S Kennedy half dollars are made from copper-nickel clad and others are made from a 40% silver composition.
To tell the difference, you’ll need to look at the side of your Bicentennial half dollar. If you see an orange or brown band along the edge, it’s made from copper. If the edge appears silver or has only a slight tan tone, it’s more likely a silver half dollar.
You can also tell the difference between copper-nickel and 40% silver Bicentennial half dollars by weighing them:
- A clad Bicentennial half dollar weighs about 11.34 grams.
- A 40% silver 1976 Kennedy half dollar weighs 11.5 grams.
If you have a copper-nickel clad 1976-S Bicentennial Kennedy half dollar, it’s probably a collectible proof coin that’s been broken out of its packaging and spent as money. It’s worth about $1.
If you have a silver 1976-S Bicentennial Kennedy half dollar, then it’s worth $5 to $8.
For Your Kennedy Half Dollars Collection…
Here are some coin folders, coin albums, airtight coin capsules, and a helpful price guide / resource book for your Kennedy half dollar collection:
READ NEXT: Tips For Collecting Kennedy Half Dollars
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