Kennedy Half Dollar

United States · 1968

A United States half dollar featuring the profile of President John F. Kennedy on the obverse and the Presidential Seal on the reverse.

Country: United States
Year: 1968
Denomination: 50 Cents (Half Dollar)

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Identified August 17, 2026More united states coins →

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Overview

A United States half dollar featuring the profile of President John F. Kennedy on the obverse and the Presidential Seal on the reverse.

Historical significance

Introduced in 1964 shortly after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, this coin series was rapidly adopted by the public as a memento and has been minted continuously ever since, transitioning from 90% silver to 40% silver, and eventually to copper-nickel clad.

Obverse (front)

Left-facing profile bust of President John F. Kennedy with the word 'LIBERTY' arching over the top, the motto 'IN GOD WE TRUST' divided below, and the year '1968' at the bottom.

Reverse (back)

The Presidential Seal featuring a heraldic eagle holding an olive branch and arrows, surrounded by a circle of 50 stars, with the legends 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' above and 'HALF DOLLAR' below.

Estimated value

$4.00 - $8.00 in circulated condition, higher for uncirculated specimens.

What drives this coin's value

Condition/grade, silver melt value, and potential mint errors (such as missing mint marks or double dies).

Grade assessment

About Uncirculated (AU) to Mint State (MS), showing minor friction on the highest points of the design.

Mintage & rarity

Common; over 246 million were minted at the Denver Mint in 1968.

Authenticity & counterfeit red flags

Check the weight (11.50g), edge coloration for the silver-copper sandwich layer, and magnet test (silver-clad coins are not magnetic, though pure nickel can respond slightly, 40% silver has low magnetic permeability). Counterfeits are rare for circulated 1968 half dollars due to low profit margins.

Notable varieties & errors

Look for accented hair proofs (1964 only), but for 1968 watch for rare double die obverse (DDO) errors.

Similar coins

Franklin Half Dollars and Washington Quarters of the same era.

Care & preservation

Handle by the edges with clean cotton gloves to avoid transferring oils from your skin. Store in archival-safe flips or coin tubes, and never clean the coin as cleaning drastically reduces numismatic value.