The 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar holds a special place in the history of U.S. coinage due to its design and the circumstances surrounding its release. The coin was issued as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963.
The coin’s obverse features a left-profile portrait of President Kennedy designed by Chief Engraver Gilroy Roberts. The reverse, designed by Frank Gasparro, is an adaptation of the Presidential Seal and includes an eagle with a shield on its chest, holding an olive branch and a bundle of arrows.
It was the last 90% silver coin to be issued by the U.S. Mint and was intended to memorialize President John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s legacy.
Congress authorized the U.S. Mint to create and begin minting Kennedy Half Dollars just over one month after President Kennedy’s death.
Production of the first Silver Kennedy Half Dollar coins began in January 1964 at the Denver Mint. Production started a week later at the Philadelphia Mint.
The U.S. Mint released the coin to the general public on March 24, 1964. There was an enormous public demand at the time of release, driven by the desire to have a memento of the late president and by speculators who believed the coin would become rare and valuable. Thousands stood in line at the Mint to get the first coins. Even though the number of coins each person could buy was limited, the Mint sold out quickly. Many were hoarded upon release, making them less common in circulation.
The 1964 mintage of Kennedy halves was enormous in comparison to previous silver half-dollar mintages. Over 277 million coins were minted in Philadelphia for circulation, and an additional 156 million coins were minted in Denver. Despite the incredible supply, the coins continued disappearing as fast as they were issued, and people began hoarding them.
1964 Kennedy Half Dollar Coin Specifications:
- Diameter: 30.6 mm
- Thickness: 2.15 mm
- Metal Composition: 90% Silver (Ag), 10% Copper (Cu)
- Denomination: 50 cents (half dollar)
- Gross Weight: 12.5 grams
- Approximate Silver Weight (ASW): 11.25 grams
Over 433 million 90% Silver 1964 Kennedy Half Dollars were minted for circulation.
1964 Kennedy Collector Value
Due to its significance and the 90% silver content, many 1964 Kennedy Half Dollars were kept as keepsakes and did not see regular circulation. As a result, high-grade examples are relatively easy to find today.
There are some variations in the 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar that are of interest to collectors. One of the most notable is the “accented hair” variety, where Kennedy’s hair shows more detail.
The melt value 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar coin is $11.31
| 1964 Kennedy Half DollarYears Minted: 1964Silver Content: 90% (1964 only) Silver Weight: 0.3617 troy oz (90%) Total Mintage: 433 million coins Current silver melt value: $11.31 |