Kennedy Half Dollar
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Spanning 1964 to the present day, the Kennedy Half Dollar catalog contains 227 year-and-mintmark variants. Across the series, the key date is the 1998-S Kennedy Half Dollar at just 62,000 struck and the highest-value variant is the 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar at up to $6,000 in top grade.
Kennedy Half Dollar · All Strikes Mintage by Year
Peak 551MCombined mintage per year across every strike type (circulated, proof, and specimen) and all mintmarks.
About the Kennedy Half Dollar
The Kennedy Half Dollar is a popular coin introduced in the United States in 1964 to commemorate the life of President John F. Kennedy who was assassinated the year before. There have been several variations of the coin since its introduction including reverse designs, different metal compositions, and minting years.
The main design of the Kennedy Half Dollar remains unchanged from the original coin. It depicts a left-facing portrait of President Kennedy, with the words “Liberty” and “In God We Trust” inscribed on the rim. At the top of the design is the inscription of “John F. Kennedy”, while the year of minting appears at the bottom.
The original Kennedy Half Dollar was composed of 90% silver and 10% copper. This composition was used until 1965 when it was changed to a composition consisting of 40% silver and 60% copper. The 40% silver coins were minted from 1965 through 1970. However, after 1970 the coins were minted with a composition of 75% copper and 25% nickel.
The reverse of the coins also changed numerous times since the original release. After the initial release, the half dollars featured a presidential seal design until 1975. That year, the reverse featured a design from the Apollo 11 mission celebrating the first space landing. Then, from 1976 to 1998, the design changed to the eagle with a shield for liberty. Finally, in 2004 it was changed to a design featurining a heraldic eagle with an olive branch as a symbol for peace.
In addition to the changes in design, the United States mint also issued special editions of the Kennedy Half Dollar. These coins have featured obverse designs in honor of the 25th and 50th anniversaries of John F. Kennedy’s presidency, as well as special reverse designs to commemorate the Apollo 11 mission and the bicentennial of the United States.
The Kennedy Half Dollar has remained a popular coin amongst collectors and is still in circulation today. It will continue to be a reminder of President Kennedy’s legacy and the spirit of hope he brought to the United States.
Most-collected Kennedy Half Dollar coins on LuckyCoin
Looking for coins from a specific year across every denomination? Browse US coin values by year →
Which Kennedy Half Dollar coins do collectors actually own? See the 2026 rarity & ownership report →
Frequently Asked Questions
- When was the Kennedy Half Dollar minted?
- The Kennedy Half Dollar was minted by United States from 1964 to the present day.
- How many Kennedy Half Dollar coins were minted?
- Across every year and mintmark, approximately 4,437,166,469 Kennedy Half Dollar coins were struck.
- What mintmarks exist for the Kennedy Half Dollar?
- Kennedy Half Dollar coins were struck with the following mintmarks: D, P, S, W. Some years were also produced without a mintmark.
- What is the Kennedy Half Dollar made of?
- The Kennedy Half Dollar is made of copper-nickel clad copper (91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel), weighs 11.34 grams, and measures 30.61 mm in diameter.
- How much is a Kennedy Half Dollar worth?
- Value depends on year, mintmark, and condition. Common dates in average circulated condition trade for near face value, while the rarest varieties in top grade can fetch up to $6,000. See individual year pages for grade-by-grade estimates.