By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The Philadelphia Mint struck 15,646,000 Kennedy Half {Dollars} in 1998. A typical yr for a denomination that didn’t see a lot in the best way of circulation however was nonetheless being struck in amount, within the occasion that new halves had been wanted from the Federal Reserve. Most collectors, nonetheless, would purchase their 1998-P half {dollars} from that yr’s uncirculated coin units.
With the introduction of the 50 State Quarters Program in 1999, the Kennedy Half Greenback would lose its standing because the centerpiece of Mint Units. As a result of it was the one coin unlikely to be present in circulation, half {dollars} had drawn collectors to Mint Units because the product’s reintroduction in 1984 (within the ’70s and early ’80s, greenback cash had been included and the units weren’t issued in 1982 and 1983). With new circulating commemorative quarters, collectors had greater than the half greenback to contemplate; these unable to seek out every of the 5 business-strike quarters from each the Philadelphia and Denver services in circulation, or just concerned with having an instance of every in Mint State, may get all of the wanted quarters from Mint Units.
The Mint stopped putting the half greenback denomination for circulation completely in 2002 (although it resumed beginning in 2021), making them solely out there at a slight premium, in Mint Units, or in rolls and luggage. Nonetheless, the Mint’s main focus centered round its different coin applications.
How A lot Is the 1998-P Kennedy Half Greenback Price?
Though 15 million 1998-P half {dollars} had been struck, the coin is just not usually present in circulated grades or in circulation in any respect. No studies of circulation discover 1998-P Kennedy halves occurred throughout the first six months of the yr.
Maybe a couple of million examples of the difficulty survive in Mint State. Nearly all of the difficulty that stay in an uncirculated situation are what we name “uncooked” cash. That’s, uncertified.
As a result of the difficulty isn’t significantly invaluable, the monetary incentive to have an instance licensed is just not significantly excessive. Thus far, simply over 700 examples have handed via PCGS and NGC.
Presently, the 1998-P Kennedy Half Greenback is scarce in MS68. PCGS data 459 grading occasions of 1998-P Kennedy Halves, solely six of which it gave MS68 grades. NGC data 377 grading occasions; three acquired a Prooflike designation. 15 of these grading occasions had been MS68.
Neither the Cherrypickers’ Information to Uncommon Die Sorts of United States Cash nor Selection Vista lists any sorts of 1998-P Kennedy Half {Dollars}.
1998-P Kennedy Half {Dollars} are usually reasonably priced. Latest public sale outcomes recommend that in MS66 the cash vary in worth from $9 to $15, and in MS67 they go from $20 to $60. MS68 examples not often cross the public sale block, however collectors needs to be able to pay fairly a bit extra. An instance in an NGC slab bought on eBay for $1,500 in 2022. On the similar time, one other was out there on the identical platform for $999. GreatCollections bought one in 2018 for $421.88. Going method again, an instance licensed by PCGS crossed the public sale block for $92.65 in November 1998.
The report public sale value for a 1998-P Kennedy Half Greenback, $1,000, was realized on March 14, 2006 in an American Numismatic Rarities (ANR) public sale for an instance graded MS66 by PCGS.
Collectors concerned with including an instance of the 1998-P Kennedy Half Greenback to their units can discover nice-looking uncirculated examples uncooked or licensed in grades as much as MS67 simply and for lower than $50.
Struck on the eve of the 50 State Quarters program that may to some extent supplant it (a minimum of in Mint Units), the 1998-P Kennedy Half Greenback is an accessible, reasonably priced subject crucial for these placing collectively a date set of Kennedy Halves and could be interesting to these collectors within the fashionable historical past of Mint merchandise.
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Market Knowledge and Noteworthy Specimens
The PCGS MS68 inhabitants has remained at six since a minimum of 2008.
High Inhabitants: PCGS MS68 (6, 10/2024), NGC MS68 (15, 10/2024), and CAC None Graded (10/2024).
- NGC MS68 #5849713-016: eBay, January 2022 – $1,500.
- NGC MS68 #3101440-034: GreatCollections, Might 13, 2018, Lot 576950 – $421.88.
- NGC MS67 #6308827-033: eBay, September 1, 2024 – $13.50.
- PCGS MS67 #45311891: eBay, August 6, 2024 – $42.
- NGC MS67 #6308827-035: eBay, July 22, 2024 – $38.99.
- PCGS MS67 #13842779: Heritage Auctions, September 25, 2016, Lot 27245 – $45.
- PCGS MS67 #21472172: Heritage Auctions, September 30, 2008, Lot 26290 – $23.
- PCGS MS67 #40038960: Heritage Auctions, November 23, 2004, Lot 11553 – $24.
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Design
Obverse:
The central motif is an effigy of the thirty fifth President of america, the late John Fitzgerald Kennedy. A battle hero and (on the time) the youngest individual ever to function president, Kennedy was inaugurated on January 20, 1961, and assassinated on November 22, 1963. The nation’s grief was such that Congress and the Mint rushed via a design change on the half greenback denomination to commemorate him.
Atop the higher half of the rim is the inscription LIBERTY, with Kennedy’s hair protecting the underside parts of the letters “B”, “E”, and “R”. The date 1998 is cradled on the backside of the coin, whereas the nationwide motto IN GOD WE TRUST is inscribed in a straight line above the yr however divided by the sharp truncation of Kennedy’s neck.
Gilroy Roberts’ initials are on the truncation line of Kennedy’s bust, above WE on the underside proper aspect of the coin.
The P mintmark of the Philadelphia Mint is positioned above the hole between the 2 9s of the date.
Reverse:
Roberts’ assistant, Frank Gasparro, designed the reverse. He based mostly the eagle on the Presidential Coat of Arms from the Seal of the President of america, which relies on the Nice Seal of america. The Presidential Seal in its present kind was finalized by President Harry S. Truman in 1945, although the variety of stars on the seal (and therefore the coin) went from 48 to 50 as Alaska and Hawaii entered the Union.
The heraldic eagle’s wings and legs are unfold in 4 instructions. The left talon (viewer’s proper) holds arrows, a logo of battle, whereas the correct claw (viewer’s left) grips an olive department, a logo of peace. It’s custom for the eagle to face one aspect or the opposite relative to nationwide circumstances on the time of putting; on this occasion, the eagle faces in the direction of the olive department regardless of America’s involvement in Vietnam and different conflicts all over the world.
Frank Gasparro’s initials FG are between the eagle’s left leg and tail feathers.
A Union protect covers the eagle’s breast. Vertical bars representing the 13 crimson and white stripes of the American flag run down most of its face, representing the unique 13 colonies of america. The highest of the protect (a horizontal band is in any other case identified in heraldry as a chief) options no stars.
Instantly above the eagle’s head is a scroll that includes the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. The design behind and above the eagle, which consists of 15 rays, 9 stars, and a mass of clouds, is known as the glory and is a typical design factor of each heraldry and an ancient times of numismatics.
The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA runs clockwise alongside the highest rim of the reverse, whereas the denomination HALF DOLLAR runs counterclockwise alongside the underside. Dots are between the 2 inscriptions at each ends. Surrounding the eagle is a hoop of fifty stars, representing the 50 states of the Union on the time of the coin’s manufacturing.
Edge:
The sting of the 1998-P Kennedy Half Greenback is reeded.
Designers
Gilroy Roberts was the ninth Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint, serving from July 22, 1948, to February 11, 1965. His work with the Franklin Mint brought on the United States Mint to let him go. Roberts is greatest remembered for his design of the Kennedy Half Greenback obverse.
Frank Gasparro was an American medalist and coin designer. After serving as Gilroy Roberts’s assistant engraver, he grew to become the tenth Chief Engraver of america Mint, serving from 1965 to 1981. In addition to the Kennedy Half Greenback reverse, Gasparro additionally designed the Lincoln Memorial Cent reverse, the Eisenhower Greenback obverse and common reverse, and the Susan B. Anthony Greenback (View Designer’s Profile).
1998-P Kennedy Half Greenback Specs
| Nation: | United States of America |
| Yr of Difficulty: | 1998 |
| Denomination: | Half Greenback (50 Cents USD) |
| Mintmark: | P (Philadelphia) |
| Mintage: | 15,646,000 |
| Alloy: | .750 Copper, .250 Nickel |
| Weight: | 11.34 g |
| Diameter: | 30.60 mm |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| OBV Designer: | Gilroy Roberts |
| REV Designer: | Frank Gasparro |
| High quality: | Enterprise Strike |
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