There are not too many coins, despite the plethora of options given to us over the hundreds of years since coinage began, that you can truly recall that would hit you like the Kennedy half dollar. The story, the design, the production, and the continued popularity of the half dollar denomination is enough to land the coin in any collector’s top five. Despite its commonality, it still demands to be seen and its story to be told.
With the year 2024 celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Kennedy half dollar, we felt it fitting to go back in time and revisit the inception of the popular coin. From the tragedy that ensued all the way to today’s production, we honor the half dollar by remembering its history.
John F. Kennedy – 35th President of the United States
Sworn in as the 35th President of the United States on January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy was the youngest man elected president at just 43 years old. A popular politician for years prior to the presidency, Kennedy ran for Congress in Massachusetts’ 11th congressional district and won in 1946. It would kickstart a political career that would see him serve three terms in the House of Representatives before being elected to the United States Senate in 1952 at the age of 36.
A popular democrat, Kennedy would almost be chosen to run for vice president in 1956. Despite not doing so, he decided that he would indeed run for president in the next election. His next few years would be spent travelling and working long hours before his party would nominate him as its candidate for the 1960 election. Alongside running mate and vice-presidential candidate, Lyndon B. Johnson, Kennedy would defeat Republican Vice President Richard M. Nixon in a close race in the general election on November 8, 1960.
Famously said in his inaugural speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” his dedication to the need for all Americans to be active citizens would be the growing momentum behind his presidency. The Kennedys, along with their two young children, would celebrate American history, culture, and accomplishments in the White House, celebrating artists, writers, scientists, actors, athletes, musicians, and more.
President Kennedy was responsible for the creation of the Peace Corps in addition to the push for the United States to be on the frontlines for space exploration against the Soviet Union. Racial tensions were also a major issue for the United States, with thousands of Americans joining together to protest injustices. President Kennedy would, after years of tensions, decided to help the civil rights movement and propose a Civil Rights bill to Congress in June of 1963.
President Kennedy would fly to Texas on November 21, 1963, to give several political speeches. However, the next day on November 22nd, he would be seriously wounded in Dallas as he was shot driving slowly through the crowds. He would soon die a short time later as police would arrest and apprehend the suspect hours later. The tragic event would cause a tremendous amount of grief throughout the country, prompting those in charge at the United States Mint to commemorate the president immediately.
The Kennedy Half Dollar
The Beginning
The life of President Kennedy and the man himself, despite the tragic events, was commemorated in record time with the inception of the Kennedy half dollar. The story behind the process that ensued goes as follows from the words of then Chief Engraver of the United States Mint, the late Gilroy Roberts:
“Shortly after the tragedy of President Kennedy’s death, November 22, 1963, Miss Eva Adams, the Director of the Mint, telephoned me at the Philadelphia Mint and explained that serious consideration was being given to placing President Kennedy’s portrait on a new design U.S. silver coin and that the quarter dollar, half dollar, or the one dollar were under discussion. A day or so later, about November 27, Miss Adams called again and informed me that the half dollar had been chosen for the new design, that Mrs. Kennedy did not want to replace Washington’s portrait on the quarter dollar. Also, it had been decided to use the profile portrait that appears on our Mint list medal for President Kennedy and the President’s Seal that has been used on the reverse of this and other Mint medals.”
Gilroy Roberts would quickly get to work sculpting the portrait obverse while assistant engraver, Frank Gasparro, prepared the reverse featuring the presidential seal. Time was of the essence, as the new year was coming fast, and the Treasury Department did not want to issue any existing Franklin half dollars dated 1964. In addition to the switch, the nation was still facing a coin shortage. No matter how or which one, a half dollar HAD to be ready to coin early in 1964 to avoid worsening the coin shortage situation.
One of the hurdles they had to overcome was the fact that U.S. coin designs could not be changed more often than every 25 years under existing law. An act of Congress would have to be made to replace the half dollar design. However, given the respect and recognition from each party for the late President Kennedy, arguments were put aside, and Congress was able to pass legislation in the nick of time. The Act of December 30, 1963, would give the go ahead for the new Kennedy half dollar.
The Design
Working tirelessly, Gilroy Roberts was able to complete the rendering of the half dollar within a few days using the existing models made for President Kennedy’s presidential model. With the help of Frank Gasparro, trial strikes were run and sent to Mint Director Adams on December 13th. Those renderings were then viewed by the President’s widow, Jacqueline, and his brother and U.S. Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy. With a few comments from Mrs. Kennedy, Roberts was able to revise his models and have trial strikes coined once again. They were viewed and approved by Treasury Secretary Douglas Dillon.
First Year of Issue – 1964
The first Kennedy half dollars were proof coins struck early in 1964. By the end of January, circulation strike coins began at the Mints at Philadelphia and Denver. They were released to the public on March 24, 1964, where they were met with as much anticipation as you would expect given the circumstances. Despite the limit per customer, the banks quickly became stripped of their supplies and few of the coins ever reached circulation. The coin became a keepsake to collectors given the story behind it and the loss of a great President.
Regardless of the record number of half dollars produced in 1964 compared to previous years’ mintages, the coins continued to disappear as fast as they were issued. The nationwide coin shortage remained uninterrupted even despite the new half dollar design. Congress was forced to act as they finally put into effect a law that would permit the freezing of the1964 date on all United States coinage until the dilemma passed with hopes that it would dampen the appeal to collectors and hoarders.
1965-1970
Congress also decided to remove silver from the dime and quarter in 1965, but the half dollar’s content was reduced to the coin’s surface with the innermost metal containing mostly copper. They were referred to as silver-clad pieces and were struck from 1965-1970. The question to eliminate silver entirely came in 1970 when a bill was passed that called for the production of half dollars to use the same metal composition as the dime and quarter that was enacted in 1965. The metal composition featured two outer layers of copper and nickel bonded to an inner core that was made of pure copper.
1971-Onward
Despite all the changes, the half dollars are still well known mainly to coin collectors as their appearance in circulation was underwhelming. One of the most notable dates from the series is the special reverse that was done for the nation’s bicentennial in 1976. The presidential seal was replaced with Independence Hall in Philadelphia, which was the birthplace of the United States. Bicentennial half dollars bear the dual date of 1776-1976 and were produced during 1975 and 1976 in copper nickel and silver clad. The silver clad coins were not released into circulation but were sold mainly to collectors for premiums in Uncirculated and Proof finishes.
The production of “circulating” half dollars has been limited to orders need to fill from collectors since 2002. The denomination has been deemed obsolete since then, rarely seen or used as a component of our U.S. currency.
Source: NGCCoin.com; JFKLibrary.org