The Kennedy half dollar, first minted in 1964, is a fifty-cent coin issued by the United States Mint. Intended as a memorial to the assassinated 35th president of the United States John F. Kennedy, it was authorized by Congress just over a month after his death. Use of existing works by Mint sculptors Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro allowed dies to be prepared quickly, and striking of the new coins began in January 1964.
The silver coins were hoarded upon their release in March 1964 by collectors and those interested in a memento of the late president. Although the Mint greatly increased production, the denomination was seldom seen in circulation. Continued rises in the price of silver increased the hoarding—many early Kennedy half dollars have been melted for their silver content. Starting with 1965-dated coins, the percentage of fine silver was reduced from 90% to 40% (silver clad), but even with this change the coin saw little circulation.
In 1971, silver was eliminated entirely from the half dollar. Though production increased, the clad coin saw only a moderate increase in circulation; by 1980, usage had gradually fallen to the point where the half was only occasionally seen in circulation. A special design for the reverse of the half dollar was issued for the United States Bicentennial and was struck in 1975 and 1976. In addition to business strikes, special collector coins were struck for the Bicentennial in silver clad; silver proof sets in which the dime, quarter and half dollar were struck in 90% silver were minted from 1992 to 2018. In 2014, a special 50th anniversary edition of the Kennedy half dollar was also struck in 99.99% gold. Beginning in 2019, silver coins for collectors, including silver Kennedy half dollars, were minted in 99.9% silver.
Even though ample supplies of circulating half dollars are readily available from most banks, their circulation is still limited. Production of Kennedy half dollars for general circulation was temporarily suspended in 2001; from 2002 to 2020, the coins were produced to satisfy the demand from collectors and sold at a premium through the Mint. In 2021, the mint resumed striking Kennedy half dollars for general circulation.
Inception
Within hours of the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, Mint Director Eva Adams called Chief Engraver Gilroy Roberts, informing him that serious consideration<!-- Roberts' remembrances do not state who originally proposed a Kennedy coin --> was already being given to depicting Kennedy on one of the larger silver coins: either the silver dollar, half dollar, or quarter dollar. Adams called Roberts again on November 27 and authorized the project, stating that the late president's widow, Jacqueline Kennedy preferred that he be depicted on the half dollar,
thumb|right|People line up to buy the new gold Kennedy half dollar, August 2014
2014 50th Anniversary Issues
In January 2014, a private firm on behalf of the Mint, began surveying customers on possible options for a special issue in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy half dollar.
On December 11, 2025, the Mint announced that the 1776~2026 half dollar would have a theme of Enduring Liberty and depict the Statue of Liberty on the obverse. The reverse shows Liberty's torch being passed to a new generation.
Collecting
thumb|left|upright|A close-up image detailing the heavily accented hairlines present on early Kennedy half dollar proof issues
With the exception of 1965 through 1967, proofs have been struck each year in the same metallic composition as regular issue pieces.
In addition to the Accented Hair variety, one variety of the Kennedy half which receives significant interest due to its rarity is the 1964 Special Mint Set ('SMS') half dollar; Approximately 'a dozen or so' examples have been located over the course of the 2000s to the present day, and feature a 'satin finish' with well-defined strikes and die polishing lines. It is the rarest non-error variety of the Kennedy half known to date.
Examples of this variety typically sell for significant amounts of money; a 1964 Special Mint Set half dollar sold for $47,000 in 2016.
In 1998, a special "matte finish" Kennedy half dollar was issued as part of the two-coin "Kennedy Collectors Set", paired with a commemorative silver dollar honoring Robert F. Kennedy. Between 62,000 and 64,000 1998-S, matte finish coins were issued, making it the lowest mintage of the series.
Half dollars not intended for circulation, such as proof coins and those minted with dates 2002 through 2020 occasionally enter circulation; these issues are sometimes found through coin roll hunting by collectors, being referred to as NIFCs (from "Not Intended for Circulation").
In 2019, an Enhanced Reverse Proof Kennedy half dollar was included in a special set with an Apollo 11 50th anniversary half dollar. The special Kennedy half was limited to a maximum mintage of 100,000 coins and sold out.
See also
- Kennedy half dollar mintage figures
- Cultural depictions of John F. Kennedy
- Coins of the United States dollar
- Big Nickel, a coin monument in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada which was once paired with a similar large replica of the Kennedy half dollar