Bags and rolls of circulation-quality half dollars honoring John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, launched today, May 1.
New United States Mint products featuring the halves include a two-roll set for $32.95 and a 200-coin bag for $139.95. The set holds 40-coin rolls with one from the U.S. Mint’s facility in Philadelphia and one from the facility in Denver. The 200-coin bags contain 100 half-dollars from the Philadelphia Mint and 100 half-dollars from the Denver Mint.
Kennedy half-dollars have been released annually since 1964. The 50-cent pieces were authorized by Congress shortly after Kennedy was fatally shot in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. They were issued into circulation until 2002 when poor demand left the U.S. Mint producing them only for numismatic purposes. The chart below shows production of the coins since 2000.
2000 – 2019 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 |
| 2016 | 4,200,000 |
| 2017 | 4,700,000 |
| 2018 | 5,800,000 |
| 2019* | 3,400,000 |
*The 2019 mintage is for the year to date. However, since half dollars now have relatively modest annual mintages and they are made solely for coin collectors, usually their production is concluded early in the year and there is no need to make more.
All Kennedy 50c obverses (head side) contain Gilroy Robert’ portrait featuring the 35th President of the United States. The image has remained basically unchanged since its 1964 debut. Inscriptions around the portrait include LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and 2019. A mintmark of ‘P’ or ‘D’ is shown to indicate the production facility of Philadelphia or Denver.
Shown on the coin’s reverse (tails side) is a modified Presidential Seal as designed by Frank Gasparro. This design was also introduced on 1964 half-dollars and has appeared annually with the exception of 1975-1976 when Independence Hall of Philadelphia was depicted. Inscribed above the seal is UNITED STATES OF AMERICA with HALF DOLLAR below.
Ordering
Buy rolls and bags of Kennedy halves from the U.S. Mint’s website found here. No initial mintage, household or product limits have been established.
