1964 Kennedy Half Dollar

1964 Kennedy Half Dollar — The Last 90% Silver Half

The 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar holds a singular place in American numismatic history. Struck just months after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, it was produced in massive quantities as a grieving nation eagerly collected the coin as a keepsake — and continues to be one of the most recognized and beloved silver coins in the world. This is the only year the Kennedy Half Dollar was struck in 90% silver, making it both a collector’s classic and a genuine silver bullion piece.

Coin Specifications

• Year: 1964
• Mint Mark: Philadelphia (no mint mark) or Denver (D)
• Designer: Gilroy Roberts (obverse) / Frank Gasparro (reverse)
• Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
• Silver Content: 0.3617 troy oz per coin
• Weight: 12.50 grams
• Diameter: 30.6 mm
• Mintage: 433,000,000+ (Philadelphia & Denver combined)

90% Silver — Real Precious Metal Value

Each 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar contains 0.3617 troy ounces of pure silver, giving it intrinsic metal value that rises and falls with the silver spot price. Unlike the clad versions that followed in 1965, the 1964 is the genuine article — struck in the same 90% silver composition used for American coinage for over a century.

A Nation’s Tribute to JFK

President Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. Within weeks, Congress authorized a new half dollar bearing his portrait. Designed by Chief Engraver Gilroy Roberts using Kennedy’s inaugural medal as a model, the obverse features a strong left-facing portrait of JFK. The reverse, designed by Assistant Engraver Frank Gasparro, displays the Presidential Coat of Arms — a powerful symbol of the office Kennedy held.

Demand for the coin was so overwhelming at release that most examples were immediately pulled from circulation and saved, making circulated examples surprisingly scarce relative to the mintage.

A must-have for any American coin collection — part history, part silver, entirely iconic.