Three products featuring seven coins with four distinct finishes will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy half-dollar, the United States Mint has confirmed.
One of the anniversary coins is minted from 99.99% fine gold, four of them are composed from 90% silver, and two are cupro-nickel clad. Produced at four different U.S. Mint facilities, collector finishes include regular proof, reverse proof, regular uncirculated and enhanced uncirculated.
Higher Reliefs
Compared to standard annual issues, all seven 50th anniversary coins feature a higher relief of Kennedy’s portrait as originally designed by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Gilroy Roberts for a Kennedy medal which was adapted in 1964 for the half-dollar. Reverses share Gasparro’s Heraldic Eagle design as it appears on regular annual issues.
2014 Kennedy Four-Coin Silver Set, Two-Coin Clad Set and 24K Gold Coin
The three upcoming product options are a four-coin silver set, a two-coin clad set and an individual 24-karat gold coin. Available information about the products, the U.S. Mint facility striking each coin, and release dates are:
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2014 50th Anniversary Kennedy Four-Coin Silver Set. This four-coin set has four silver halves. There is a regular proof coin from the Philadelphia Mint, a reverse proof coin from the West Point Mint, an enhanced uncirculated coin from the San Francisco Mint, and an uncirculated coin from the Denver Mint. These silver coins have mint marks of P, W, S or D based on their production facilities. An on-sale date for this four-coin collection is still to be decided.
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2014 50th Anniversary Kennedy Two-Coin Clad Set. This two coin set has two uncirculated clad halves. One is from the Philadelphia Mint with a P mint mark and the other is from the Denver Mint with a D mint mark. The on-sale date for this set is July 24.
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1964-2014 24K 50th Anniversary Kennedy Half-Dollar. This gold coin is in proof quality, composed from 24-karat gold, and comes from the West Point bearing a W mint mark. Unlike the others, this coin has dual dates of 1964 and 2014. It goes on sale Aug. 5 during the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Rosemont, Ill.
Prices, mintages, or any other limits are not yet available. Collectors are speculating that the Mint will produce the coins to demand with the possibility of an ordering window.
Kennedy Reverse Proof and Enhanced Uncirculated
Buzz about the dual-dated 24K Kennedy gold coin has been building ever since news of its possibility surfaced in February. The clad and silver sets should draw interest as well. In particular, collectors are likely to have special affinity for the 50c reverse proof and 50c enhanced uncirculated. In briefly describing them:
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Fields of the 2014-W Reverse Proof Kennedy Silver Half-Dollar will be laser frosted on both sides, exactly opposite of the regular proof on which fields are highly polished. Additionally, the artwork, lettering and mint mark will be polished to a bright finish.
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Fields of the 2014-S Enhanced Uncirculated Kennedy Silver Half-Dollar will be wire brushed while different elements on the artwork and letterings will be frosted with varying intensities.
Thirteen 2014-Dated Kennedy Halves
These 7 anniversary coins are in addition to the 6 regular Kennedy half-dollars released every year in U.S. Mint rolls, bags or standard annual sets. While the Mint has a collection of customer surveys to support decisions behind these anniversary products, 13 coins may be high for some collectors to get their arms around. To reduce possible confusion, here is a chart that lists all 13 of this year’s Kennedy half-dollars along with their associated products.
| Unique to 50th Anniversary | Composition | Associated Product | Release Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-W Proof Gold 50c | Yes, featuring higher relief obverse | .9999 Gold | Individually Sold | Aug. 5 |
| 2014-P Proof Silver 50c | 90% Silver, 10% Copper | 2014 Kennedy Four-Coin Silver Set | TBD | |
| 2014-W Reverse Proof Silver 50c | ||||
| 2014-D Uncirculated Silver 50c | ||||
| 2014-S Enhanced Uncirculated Silver 50c | ||||
| 2014-P Uncirculated Clad 50c | 8.33% Nickel, Balance Copper | 2014 Kennedy Two-Coin Clad Set | Jul 24 | |
| 2014-D Uncirculated Clad 50c | ||||
| 2014-S Proof Silver 50c | No, regular annual issue | 90% Silver, 10% Copper | 2014 Silver Proof Set / 2014 Limited Edition Silver Proof Set | Apr 29 / TBD |
| 2014-S Proof Clad | 8.33% Nickel, Balance Copper | 2014 Proof Set | Mar 25 | |
| 2014-P Uncirculated Clad 50c | 2014 Mint Set | May 13 | ||
| 2014-D Uncirculated Clad 50c | ||||
| 2014-P Circulating Quality Clad 50c | 2014 Kennedy 50c Rolls and Bags | Feb 13 | ||
| 2014-D Circulating Quality Clad 50c |
For Kennedy half-dollar products already released, visit the U.S. Mint at www.usmint.gov/catalog for more information or to order.
Nice to see some details finally coming out. And thanks for the chart Mike, that helps in clarifying the options.
With the buffalo 1 oz = $50, .1 oz = $5 so the Kennedy gold should be .01 oz for $.50 – that will be either a tiny coin or very thin.
So it looks like the clad uncirculated halves will be duplicates of what is in the mint set but the clad proof halves will also be either P or S. So 11 unique halves this year?
CLAD 2 PIECE SET IS SATIN SO BACK TO 13 …. note in theory all 2014 are high relief
I can visualize big dealers salivating on various 3rd party labels/profits
Hope we little guys get a chance to NOT be gouged
Can’t wait to see the mintages and the pricing. Happy collecting!
Jim, the gold coin will be the same size/diameter as the others, giving it about 3/4 ounces of gold. Dave, the 50th anniversary clad halves will have the “higher relief,” making them different than the standard annual halves.
It’s getting too complicated to collect modern coins.
I recommend that the Kennedy Halves series come to an end this year of 2014 and no more half dollars struck beyond 31 December 2014. This 50th anniversary year would be more than an appropriate time to finish series once and for all; ditto that to Lincoln Cents which should have been finished off at the close of 2009. That can also apply to all the “golden dollars” which no longer are produced for commerce transactions. That would leave the nickel, dime and quarter only for commerce transactions. That’s how money should be saved in the federal budget: produce only… Read more »
Well, decisions, decisions, decisions! Eat, buy heating oil, gasoline or coins? Coins! I need to lose some weight, I’ll use an extra blanket, this winter and gas is a problem. I work it out.
If the Kennedy series would come to an end, what would it be replaced with?
A. Nothing since not needed for circulation?
B. Ronald Reagan?
C. Harry S. Truman?
agree this is fitting year to retire Kennedy half era… anything else is anticlimactic…we don’t really need a half denom,but let the Mint start coming up with some options like Canadian Mint…(I know, they go overboard…)
Well, I’ll have too order a set or two as for Kennedy’s… yes ending Dec 2014 would be appropriate. Bring back the silver eagle halves, dimes and nickels for 2015 ….
no need for one dollar bill, 1/2 dollar, or penny
Imagine if the mint closed sales of the half and then declared they wouldn’t make any more halves ever.
The Kennedy half dollar gold coin with today’s prices should sell for about 1200 dollars.
The reverse proof should be cool. I agree, finish the series and give us a new coin. I hope they keep mintages low.
It would be a nice set. I’m reasonably certain it would be at least $149.
If it were to be low mintage, I’d hope the Mint wouldn’t keep a great deal in vaults. Mint has been known to make some available, after numismatist have thought they had a low mintage “Hunny”
I’d enjoy having the 4 coin set, but not at a phenomenal price.
I sure volume dealers will offer 3rd party sets at $300-400, I’ll wager
Anyone have an idea as to what the clad sets will cost? I got the survey for this a while ago and remember them asking if I would pay around $100 for a 4 coin silver set, which is a no brainer. And gold should be around 1200 as others have posted here. I have no idea what the clad set would cost. anyone have an educated guess? I’m still green when it comes to coin collecting. I’ve been in it for about 1.5 years. But I haven’t bought much clad offerings. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thx
Ray,
The 5 Star General Halves went for $17.95 proof & $16.95 unc. I would think no more than $39.95 for the set. Just my thoughts.
OK, this is throwing the thread a bit OT but instead of simply eliminating one denomination after another, isn’t it time to bring US coinage into at least the 20th century if not the 21st? Do we still need coin sizes that are backwards-compatible with their counterparts from the 1850s? Do we still need a non-decimal 25¢ denomination so we can make change for Spanish milled dollars? I realize that extreme traditionalists would scream bloody murder, but the majority of industrialized countries long ago switched to full .05/.10/.20/.50/1.00/2.00 systems without destroying civilization as we know it.
Ray,
$100 for the 4-coin silver set?
I would think more like $140, which still is reasonable…
Anybody’s thoughts on this?
Stuart,
Noble thoughts on saving money. However -saving a little in coins here, and printing a trillion electronically there- are not offsetting transactions.
The Mint did discontinue lots of products previously. So it does seem like it is a logical time for the Mint to discontinue the half dollar. Oops. I used the words, “Mint” and “logical” in the same sentence.
It should be Congress and not Mint. Though since the halves are only minted for collectors it may be that the mint does have that capability but I doubt it. I think it will still be at Congress’ discretion when a coin goes extinct just as it is for all the commemorative coins and would be for the penny.
I have been looking forward to the 50th Anniversary Set, or now sets. I try to first get from the U.S. Mint for the OGP and then on eBay as graded coins. I prefer PCGS slabs which command higher prices than the ANACS, ICG and depending on the coin even NGC. One thing I noticed is all the different labels the Grading Companies are using for the same coin and with that also different prices. FDOI LE, FIRST STRIKES, EARLY RELEASE and so on. Some times I can’t get the whole set at the same time so I get them… Read more »
The chart helped a lot. I’m going to copy it & use it as a “check off” list. With the list I can MAKE SURE I have all the 2014 Kennedy Half-Dollars. I just hope the prices are reasonable & affordable for me. The Gold Kennedy Half-Dollar might keep me from buying it graded by PCGS if the price is too high at first. But sometimes the prices are set high at first because of the high traffic & high demand. After a while the high demand slows down causing the coin’s price to drop some. This does happen, SOMETIMES!… Read more »
half dollars should not be discontinued, but there should be attempts to get them back into circulation. i would much rather receive a half as change than 2 quarters. if they used the same methods to circulate the half that they did the $1 coin, it would probably become more popular because it doesnt have a bill of the same denomination to compete with.
Looks like I was waaaaaay off on my guess of the price. The mint has them priced at $9.95 for the 2 coin set. Nothing about mintage limits though.
Put “K14” in the mint site. (Not that they make this easy for anyone to know since it’s not listed on the page for the Kennedy program.) You’ll see the following:
Mintage Limit: None
Product Limit: None
Household Order Limit: 5
Available by Subscription: No
Still a good deal at $9.95 + shipping. K13 and K15 refer to the other issues, and here’s an official link to them. Not that any of this is on the mint sales site, of course, since that would be too helpful:
http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/?action=press_release&id=1592
I have no problem with continuing our half dollars or any other denomination for that matter. I just wish we could bring back the beauty of the older coins. Even on the bills as we change designs almost every other month with these ugly big face bills. Whatever happen’d to the real artistic design. The flow, the texture, the quality and mostly the beauty. It’s shameful.
More idealistic then, more realistic now.
Also didn’t have as many Presidents to idolize then as now.
Realistic perhaps, Jim, but without a vision of what can be no one can rise to build a better nation. It’s not worth idolizing any of them–just people trying to do an almost impossible job, too often hampered by vicious obstructionism. During the last 60 or so years some have been pretty good men, others embarrassments in either their personal lives or by their gross incompetence. Perhaps, given the corruption and division within today’s government, and the forces that control and limit what a president can do, we shall never have a truly great one again.