By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The Coinage Act of 1965 eliminated silver totally from dimes and quarters and modified the half greenback in order that some silver would stay within the 50-cent coin, albeit at a debased 40% silver-clad composition. Cash dated 1965-1970 had been struck on this method, which proved a severe obstacle to their circulation. By 1970, Congress had seen sufficient, and for the 1971 Kennedy Half Greenback, the composition was modified to the identical copper-nickel sandwich metallic used for the dime and quarter. This occurred on the identical time that laws to reintroduce the greenback coin was being debated, which was additionally issued into circulation as a base metallic coin (however with a 40% silver collector model that the United States Mint bought at a premium).
In its clad format, the Kennedy Half Greenback noticed elevated circulation – however to not the extent of the Mint’s lower-denomination cash. Merchandising machines and trendy money register tills simply weren’t arrange for the cumbersome cash. After an emission of 450 million cash in 1971, the mintage for the 1973 difficulty had fallen to 148 million (the Mint noticed comparable declines in demand for the Eisenhower Greenback, which in 1973, was produced completely for Mint Units).
The nation’s Bicentennial celebration offered the Mint with a possibility to reintroduce the general public to the half greenback and greenback cash because of laws authorizing the manufacturing of commemorative variations of those cash. Along with the usual clad points, the Mint was instructed to make 40% silver variations of the Washington Quarter, the Kennedy Half Greenback, and the Eisenhower Greenback in Uncirculated and Proof finishes, which had been bought to collectors by way of the Mint’s retailer and different venues.
Bicentennial coinage was issued for 2 years (1975-76), and cash issued in each years featured the twin date of “1776-1976”. The reverse designs had been chosen from a pool of 884 entries; a five-judge panel of specialists then chosen the successful designs.
The three successful designs had been submitted by both business artists, or within the case of the Greenback, an artwork scholar. Jack Ahr, designer of the Bicentennial Quarter reverse, was the proprietor of his personal business artwork firm. Seth G. Huntington, designer of the half greenback reverse, labored as the pinnacle of the artwork division on the advertising and marketing agency of Brown & Bigelow. And Dennis R. Williams, the designer of the Eisenhower Greenback’s Bicentennial reverse, was an artwork scholar on the Columbus School of Artwork and Design in Ohio. Every acquired a $5,000 prize and struck the primary of their respective cash at a ceremony in Philadelphia. Not one of the winners ever produced one other coin design for the USA Mint.
The Bicentennial Kennedy Half Greenback was the primary of the three cash to be issued, at a ceremony in Huntington’s hometown of Minneapolis held on July 7, 1975. The 40% silver-clad Kennedy Half {Dollars} had been struck on the San Francisco Assay Workplace, with roughly 11,000,000 enterprise strikes and roughly 4,000,000 Proof strikes manufactured. The Treasury Division approved the manufacture of the silver-clad cash by way of the tip of 1976, however given the shortage of demand, coin manufacturing concluded in June. Units had been bought at a difficulty worth of $9 every ($51.10 in 2024 inflation-adjusted {dollars}).
The precise whole of the 1976-S Kennedy Silver-Clad Half {Dollars} bought stays an open query. The Mint continued to promote the units in trickles by way of the early Nineteen Eighties. Many had been seemingly destroyed in the course of the Nice Silver Soften of the late ’70s and early ’80s. No matter quantity misplaced to the crucible, doesn’t diminish the commonness of the set, which sells right now for beneath $20. Fairly a poor return over time, however not a foul worth right now given the present spot silver spot worth.
America Bicentennial Silver Uncirculated Set
The Bicentennial Silver Uncirculated Set was initially issued in a pink envelope, which learn “United States Bicentennial Silver Uncirculated Set 1776-1976”. On October 28, 1976, the USA Mint issued a press launch to announce new vacation packaging for the three-coin set.
Orders positioned after October 1 and thru December 31, 1976, had been shipped within the vacation packaging. Given the narrower ordering window, the Vacation Set is far scarcer than the usual set, but these units promote for a similar worth.
Contained in the envelope, the three silver-clad Bicentennial cash are homes in a sealed plastic pouch, which sits inside a cardboard shell.
Included is an insert card, which supplies details about the cash and states that “these cash have by no means been launched for circulation.”
Gathering the 1976-S Kennedy Silver-Clad Half Greenback
The 1976-S Kennedy Silver-Clad Bicentennial Half Greenback is well acquired in uncooked kind, as a part of the three-coin set in its unique packaging, and as an authorized coin in grades MS66 to MS67. In MS68 and above, the coin is conditionally scarce, largely because of incidental contact marks within the fields and on Kennedy’s face and hairline.
In grades MS65 to 66, count on to pay between $10 and $20 for an instance. In MS67, this worth rises to about $35. At MS68, examples promote for over $100 every.
One of many first MS69 1976-S Kennedy Silver-Clad Half {Dollars} licensed by PCGS was submitted by Ike Greenback specialist Brian Vaile. Vaile was one of many early popularizers of the 1971-D Eisenhower Greenback, Pleasant Eagle Selection, which was not but a Cherrypicker’s Informationselection. In response to Vaile’s analysis associate Rob Ezerman, Brian saved his practically good 1976-S Kennedy Half Greenback on his desk for greater than a yr earlier than he determined to submit it. The latest sale of a PCGS MS69 1976-S Kennedy Silver-Clad Half Greenback occurred in Could 2024, the place the coin bought for $5,242.50. That is fairly a bit decrease than the obvious report worth of $16,312.50 realized the yr earlier than. MS69 examples appear to seem completely in GreatCollections auctions as we discovered no information at both Stack’s Bowers or Heritage.
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Market Information and Noteworthy Specimens
Prime Inhabitants: PCGS MS69 (5, 12/2024), NGC MS69 (5, 12/2024), and CACG MS67 (1, 12/2024).
- PCGS MS69 #45654684: GreatCollections, March 19, 2023, Lot 1336549 – $16,312.50; GreatCollections, August 6, 2023, Lot 1390437 – View; Dip residue within the decrease left obverse discipline. Discoloration within the higher left reverse discipline. Dip residue all through the reverse.
- PCGS MS69 #47487861: GreatCollections, October 8, 2023, Lot 1403894 – View; GreatCollections, Could 19, 2024, Lot 1582380 – View. Dip residue above G, to the left of Kennedy’s lips, and above T. On the reverse, extra dip residue under AMERICA.
- PCGS MS69 #47452644: GreatCollections, July 30, 2023, Lot 1403889 – View. Dip residue close to rim above IN.
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Design
Obverse:
The obverse of the Kennedy Half Greenback was designed by Gilroy Roberts, who served because the ninth Chief Engraver of the USA Mint from July 22, 1948, to February 11, 1965. Roberts additionally designed President Kennedy’s inaugural medal, which served as the idea of the current design.
The central motif is an effigy of the thirty fifth President of the USA, the late John Fitzgerald Kennedy. A conflict hero and (on the time) the youngest individual ever elected 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 by way of a design change on the half-dollar denomination to commemorate the bereaved president.
Atop the higher half of the rim is the inscription LIBERTY, with Kennedy’s hair overlaying the underside parts of the letters “B”, “E” and “R”. The date 1776-1976 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. The mintmark S is discovered on the fitting facet of the purpose of this truncation.
Gilroy Roberts’ initials are situated on the truncation line of Kennedy’s bust, above the WE on the underside proper facet of the coin.
Reverse:
The reverse encompasses a symmetrical entrance view of Independence Corridor in Philadelphia, with its clock at 3:00. It was in-built 1753. It served because the Second Continental Congress assembly place (1775-1783) and the Constitutional Conference (1787). Each the Declaration of Independence and the United States Structure had been signed right here. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA wraps across the high half of the rim, whereas the denomination HALF DOLLAR is discovered on the backside. 13 small five-pointed stars representing the 13 unique colonies are straight above the denomination, following its curvature. The phrase 200 YEARS OF FREEDOM is situated on the left of Independence Corridor, and the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM (“Out of Many, One”) is on the fitting. The title of the constructing runs instantly beneath.
A spire atop the corridor inserts itself between the final two letters of the phrase STATES and virtually touches the coin’s edge. Seth Huntington’s initials SGH are discovered on the decrease proper nook of the corridor, under E PLURIBUS UNUM.
Edge:
The sting of the 1776-1976-S Kennedy Half Greenback is reeded with 150 reeds.
Varieties
The 1976-S Kennedy Bicentennial Half Greenback presents variety-hunters a minor doubled die to chase. Seen beneath glass is slight doubling that’s most evident on WE TRUST. Search for key pickup factors within the interior loop of “R” and the crossbar of “S”. This Cherrypicker’s Information selection is attributable by the main grading providers for a price. These promote for $200 and up in grades MS66 or higher.
Designers
Gilroy Roberts was the ninth Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint, serving from 1948-1965. He’s greatest remembered for his design of the Kennedy Half Greenback obverse.
When his paintings was chosen for the Bicentennial coin design competitors, Seth Huntington was the pinnacle artist of the Minneapolis, Minnesota, advertising and marketing agency Brown & Bigelow.
Coin Specs
| Nation: | United States of America |
| Years of Concern: | 1975 and 1976 |
| Denomination: | Half Greenback (50 Cents USD) |
| Mintmark: | S (San Francisco) |
| Mintage: | 11,000,000 (Estimate) |
| Alloy: | .400 Silver, .600 Copper |
| Weight: | 11.5 g |
| Diameter: | 30.60 mm |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| OBV Designer: | Gilroy Roberts |
| REV Designer: | Seth Huntington |
| High quality: | Enterprise Strike |