New circulating-quality 2015 Kennedy half-dollars are now available from the United States Mint. They’re different, but not entirely. This year’s 50-cent pieces have something in common with last year’s special 50th anniversary Kennedy coinage — they bear Gilroy Roberts’ 1964 portrait of the president.
Last year, the U.S. Mint struck 13 different Kennedy halves. There was 6 regular annual issues with the "modernized" portrait of Kennedy and 7 anniversary versions bearing the restored 1964 Kennedy portrait. This year, all halves will sport the restored portrait.
On Thursday, Feb. 12, the U.S. Mint began selling the new half-dollars in two-roll sets and in 200-coin bags. For $139.95, buyers can get a bag with coins made in the Denver Mint or Philadelphia Mint. At a lower price of $32.95, collectors can pick up two-roll sets which have one 20-coin roll from each minting facility. All coins bear either the ‘P’ or ‘D’ mint mark to declare their origin, and the same goes for their packaging.
While both product options include circulating-quality Kennedy half-dollars, none of these coins have actually entered circulation. The U.S. Mint stopped striking half dollars for circulation in 2002. Since that time, production has been geared solely toward coin collectors. The table below illustrates how mintages have mostly declined since that change.
2000 – 2015 Kennedy Half-Dollar Mintages
| Total Mintage | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 42,070,000 |
| 2001 | 40,700,000 |
| 2002 | 5,600,000 |
| 2003 | 5,000,000 |
| 2004 | 5,800,000 |
| 2005 | 7,300,000 |
| 2006 | 4,400,000 |
| 2007 | 4,800,000 |
| 2008 | 3,400,000 |
| 2009 | 3,800,000 |
| 2010 | 3,500,000 |
| 2011 | 3,450,000 |
| 2012 | 3,500,000 |
| 2013 | 9,600,000 |
| 2014 | 4,600,000 |
| 2015 | 4,600,000 |
The 4.6 million mintage total of 2015 Kennedy Half-Dollars includes 2.3 million from Denver and 2.3 million from Philadelphia. Those figures are as of January, but the amount produced early on is usually enough to satisfy collector demand for an entire year.
Ordering
Rolls and bags of 2015 Kennedy half-dollars may be ordered by going to the United States Mint’s website at www.usmint.gov with a link to Kennedy products right here.
Orders are also accepted by calling the Mint’s toll-free number at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). No household ordering limits have been established.
Recent Sales
The U.S. Mint usually has plenty of older circulating-quality Kennedy halves to offer them well into a new year. That’s not the case this year. Last year’s 50th anniversary of Kennedy half-dollars helped boost interest and all 50-cent roll and bag products sold out. The following table offers sales of Kennedy half-dollar products since 2011.
| Latest Sales | Total Coins | |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 P&D 200-Coin Bag | 12,967 | 3,806,640 |
| 2014 P&D Two-Roll Set | 30,331 | |
| 2013 P&D 200-Coin Bag | 9,980 | 3,001,440 |
| 2013 P&D Two-Roll Set | 25,136 | |
| 2012 P&D 200-Coin Bag | 10,323 | 3,415,240 |
| 2012 P&D Two-Roll Set | 33,766 | |
| 2011 P&D 200-Coin Bag | 9,455 | 3,002,280 |
| 2011 P&D Two-Roll Set | 27,782 |
2014 50th Anniversary Kennedy products that remain for sale include the proof gold half-dollar for $1,202.50 and the silver coin collection for $99.95.
Unless the design pops out like it did in 1964, can it really be said to be a restoration of the original design? Has the lettering been pushed back to the rim? The obverse was shrunk in 1995 for the laughable reason that it would hold up better in circulation. And even though the reverse isn’t shown, I’m going to guess the heraldic eagle on the back is as flat as it has been since 1992? I don’t know why designs are so flat on modern coins (and this appears to be a world-wide phenomenon), even more so with coins… Read more »
It is irrelevant at this point especially with the JFK 50 cent piece when it comes to flat relief designs. In their ultimate incomprehensible stupidity, the United States Mint has seen fit to extend the life of a 50 cent piece [that does not circulate] one year beyond 2014, the date that SHOULD HAVE have been reserved for the series to have it’s glorious finish after half a century of existence. Dare I say that the JFK series has been on life support since 1971 when neither silver [or gold] has been used to strike the coins [aside from special… Read more »
Would it be safe to say that the 2015 Kennedy rolls & bags will have the same strike as the 2014 50th Annv. Kennedy clad set?
Has the Mint given any indication what type of strike will be used for the clad & silver proof sets? And what about the UNC set? It seems silly to use the low-profile dyes when the high relief dyes are being produced.
The 2015 obverse looks high relief to me. Especially when compared to a
2014.
I just picked out of a $500 box, one 2015-D Kennedy half that seems to be very concave on the obverse, so much so that the light cartwheels around the face of the coin. Is this a special mintage of the coin ?
@Stuart Wheeler…Perhaps the mint is waiting for another assassination before they put another portrait on the half dollar. It only goes to show the professionalism of our secret services that protect the president. Only they know for sure how many would have loved to get rid of some of our previous survivors. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that they have thwarted many and kept it quiet, so as not to encourage any copycats. Let’s hope and pray that Kennedy stays on the coin for years to come.