This morning, July 31, the United States Mint announced that it is reducing the limit of in-person purchases of dual-dated 1964-2014 Proof 50th Anniversary Kennedy Half-Dollar Gold Coins to one from the previously stated two-coin limit.
Tom Jurkowsky, U.S. Mint Director of Corporate Communications, said "demand was too overwhelming" and they wanted to give "more people an opportunity to buy."
By trimming the limit, the Mint has effectively doubled the number of collectors who can get one of the Kennedy gold coins at the upcoming 2014 Chicago ANA World’s Fair of Money and from over-the-counter sales points in Philadelphia, Denver and Washington D.C.
Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy half-dollar, the coins feature a restored Kennedy portrait and are struck in three-quarters of a troy ounce of .9999 fine gold, making them especially enticing to coin collectors.
In an official statement about the changed Kennedy gold coin limit, the Mint said:
"Because of the expected overwhelming response, dialog with our customers and many others interested in the 50th Anniversary Kennedy Half-Dollar Gold Proof Coin, the United States Mint is reducing the over-the-counter purchase limit to one unit per customer.
This change in the purchase limit will give more members of the public an opportunity to purchase this popular coin, essentially doubling the number of customers able to purchase it."
Overall, the household ordering limit will remain the same at five coins.
Sales kick off on Tuesday, Aug. 5, with pricing at $1,240 per coin. Beginning at 12 noon ET, anyone can order up to the household maximum at www.usmint.gov/catalog or by telephone at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
Ordering at the ANA World’s Fair of Money begins at 11:00 AM CDT for anyone with a ticket who is 18 years and older. Beginning at 8 AM, up to 500 tickets will be handed out to those in line outside of the show’s bourse floor. There will be 2,500 gold coins at the show with 500 available per day.
There will be 500 gold coins available initially at each U.S. Mint locations in Philadelphia, Denver and Washington D.C., and another 100 coins per day for the first three days after the product launch.
