This is the first of three articles about the 2014-S Enhanced Uncirculated 50th Anniversary Kennedy Half-Dollar Silver Coin. This first piece offers a simple photo overview of the coin. The next one discusses its laser and polishing treatments. The final article is about its production at the San Francisco Mint.
Anticipating is building for the 2014 50th Anniversary Kennedy Half-Dollar Silver Coin Collection. This third and final product which celebrates the semicentennial of the Kennedy half-dollar features four 90% silver coins — all with a restored portrait of Kennedy, each struck at a different U.S. Mint production facility, and two having unique finishes not found on standard coinage.
Priced at $99.95 with 150,000 readied for immediate shipment beginning on Oct. 28 — the set’s release date, the collection includes:
- one 2014-D Uncirculated Kennedy Half-Dollar from the U.S. Mint at Denver
- one 2014-P Proof Kennedy Half-Dollar from the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia
- one 2014-W Reverse Proof Kennedy Half-Dollar from the U.S. Mint at West Point (See photos of the reverse proof)
- one 2014-S Enhanced Uncirculated Kennedy Half Dollar from the U.S. Mint at San Francisco
In an upcoming article, we’ll talk about the production of the 2014-S Enhanced Uncirculated Kennedy Half-Dollar Silver Coin as well as its various laser and polishing treatments. Today, we offer several photos and video of the coins that were taken earlier this month during our visit to the San Francisco Mint where they are produced.
First, here is a photo of the obverse or heads side. In addition to bearing a restored portrait of Kennedy, it features a heavier laser frosting treatment in areas of the effigy, lettering, and border.
Below is a photo of the reverse or tails side. The lettering and border received a heavy laser frosting treatment. Other elements of the eagle received a standard (moderate) laser frosting treatment to enhance details. The stars received a laser polish technique to accentuate them against the field. All treatments are exceptional when looking at them through a loupe. Some are subtle to the naked eye because of the coin’s size.
These next few photos offer views of the half-dollar from varying angles.
Finally, here is a quick video of the coins:
I don’t mean to critical of your efforts, but, did you take the pictures with a cell phone? There is no way any correspondent who takes pictures to “enhance” his article, should allow these fuzzy renderings be what is supposed to pull U.S. in. Would you agree? A digital camera, $150.00 and up, tells you when the picture is framed, focused and lighted, correctly. A cell phone is not a camera. It takes snapshots and that’s what you put here. I still enjoy your articles.
Victor, it can be very difficult to get great coin photos outside a studio setting. We use a Canon EOS Rebel T4i 18.0 MP CMOS Digital Camera with the following lenses depending on the circumstances:
– Canon 18-135mm EF-S IS STM Lens
– Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens
– Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens
If memory serves, the equipment was around $3,500.
OoopS! 🙁
150,000 sets ready to go; more to be made, the flippers may be flipping sounds like a $ loser in the long run…..
Well from a coin collectors point of view this 3rd set will round out a nice collection of Kennedy’s from 2014. As you can see from the Gold Set, the interest is not there because the younger population does not know who Kennedy was. Sadly they probably don’t even know he was one of our presidents. As for making a profit, it’s the gold set you should put your money on. Assuming the mint quickly pulls that coin(like they have for other coin(s)) and or keeps the sales on that to no more than the 70K? blanks they had made… Read more »
This is a sure winner, with two irreplaceable Kennedy halves. As with the enhanced Eagle first issue, if you do not have this set, your Kennedy set has two glaring holes in it. Do not miss out. These reverse and enhanced coins are sparklingly beautiful.
Mike Unser, The pictures look GREAT!
Jp, Just keep in mind that not all those who buy Silver/Gold coins are doing it for profit. Some just like to “collect”.
Can’t wait to get my order in!!
I believe that the Mint did a fine job in executing the strikes of the 7 special halves with the restored 1963 sculpt on top of the 6 regular issue cartoon Kennedy head halves for a total of 13 pieces in all price ranges. Apparently, the Mint still has plans to strike Kennedy halves in 2015 which is a mistake. It would have been proper to end the series this year of 2014. That being said, I wonder what likeness of Kennedy the Mint will use: the cartoon likeness used from 1992 to date or, the original 1963 sculpt of… Read more »
i collect as a hobby don’t care about resell value I’m in,
Good points Stuart Wheeler! I agree, the Mint should have done away with the Kennedy’s after this year. It’s all about the timing. You would get a HUGH new excitement out of a new Half Dollar coin. They missed another great opportunity.
The coins are beautiful. Will probably pick them up. Problem is that there is too much packaging that comes with the coins. After a few years you get cartons of boxes that take up space. Always thought that what was important was the coin, not the packaging. Why do we need a certificate of authenticity, all you have to do is look at the coin and you should be able to tell that it is the genuine US Mint product. Costs money to produce those oak hard wood boxes that add to the price. Wish there was an option for… Read more »
Jp – the Mint could do away with the Kennedy half if they wanted, but they would need an act of Congress to start up a new half. Without any such act, they’ll continue to issue Kennedys as long as it still makes money for them.
Ahaa…there you have it. As long as it makes money! 🙂
Hey Mike! Nice cell phone photos!
I returned the one gold JFK coin I’d purchased. Will keep these, assuming Mint doesn’t have operational fiasco upon release, and I can actually place an order.
Was looking forward to the gold and silver releases of the Kennedy’s, But with the big fiasco with the gold, The silver also busted my bubble on these as well. I’ll pass.
These coins look gorgeous, and if you’re into collecting JFK halves, they are a must-own… but if you’re in it for a quick profit, beware. The Gold first strike Kennedys in 69DCAM are now going on Ebay for under mint price. The 70s not much more. As for the silver set, I don’t see a lot of upside here unless the Mint sets a mintage deadline (1 week, perhaps) that will ensure a solid after market. If they press 150,000 sets, I think they’ll only go for slightly over melt. Sorry to be the skunk at the garden party, but… Read more »
The mint.. Should.. introduce a new 1/2 dollar next year. As lawless as the government is today you could probably put Mickey Mouse on it and congress wouldn’t care. My vote is for a new Benjamin Franklin half, no cartoons though. Start it off right where it stopped, with the original 1963 design. Collectors would embrace a change in the half dollar program.
Seems kinda pointless to keep producing halves when they aren’t really used in circulation. I think it’s the mints job to produce coins that will be used for commerce and not just for collectors.
JimmyD, I would be inclined to agree. The 1963 design is a classic, nostalgic design for sure. And to David’s point about what the Mint’s job is, they’ve certainly gotten away from what their core mission used to be, that of producing coins for commerce. The Mint has essentially become the world’s largest coin dealer. On the one hand they reap huge profits with all these commemoratives and special-issue coins while on the other they still mint billions of one-cent pieces that cost 1.2 to 1.4 cents to make. Not a lot of logic there. And to the point of… Read more »
The 2014 Kennedy’s has spurred my interest in buying previously issued Kennedy coins. I am probably not alone in this and the argument could be then made that the US Mint’s focus in 2014 on celebrating the Kennedy half dollar may be more far reaching than most people have initially thought. Coin dealers and sellers who offer previous years Kennedy half dollars for sale may be the unsuspecting benefactors of these newly minted Kennedy’s. Your thoughts.
Louis, are you under age 40? If so, then you may be on to something as the second generation of Kennedy half dollar collectors. Younger people who are becoming students of our coinage history may be attracted to the Kennedy series for a variety of reasons. A popular and flawed president, coupled with what I consider to be designer Frank Gasparro’s finest work. Also, fathers of grooms in traditional Asian weddings (mostly Japanese) still to this day give out uncirculated examples of the 1964 JFK half dollar. It is a time-honored tradition that has now spanned 50 years. I am… Read more »
They should have added a bonus Marilyn Monroe coin to the set.
Come on guys…collecting is fun. Keep it light.